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Armed man shot by Alachua County deputies after locking himself in hotel bathroom, officials say

By Dani Medina
Published  January 8, 2024 5:20pm EST
Alachua County
FOX 35 Orlando

A man was shot by deputies after he was found armed in a hotel bathroom in Gainesville on Monday, according to the Alachua County Sheriff. 

Deputies responded to the La Quinta Inn at 908 NW 69th Terrace for a well-being check after hotel management said they hadn't seen a guest since Saturday. Management was also unable to get inside the room because the deadbolt was locked. 

Deputies tried several times to get the guest inside to open the door by knocking and announcing themselves, but to no avail. They requested assistance from Alachua County Fire Rescue to force entry into the room. 

Upon entry, deputies cleared the room and found an empty gun holster on the bed. The bathroom door, however, was locked. 

Deputies weren't able to find the occupant and forced the bathroom door open after giving numerous verbal announcements to confirm their well-being. 

"After forced entry, deputies found the suspect armed with a handgun, who refused to drop the weapon and obey their commands. The suspect suffered a gunshot wound, based on their actions and refusal to obey commands," Alachua County Sheriff said. 

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Deputies immediately rendered first aid to the suspect before they were transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries. No deputies were injured. 

"Based on ACSO officer involved shooting policies the investigation into the events and timeline that led to it will be conducted by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement," Alachua County Sheriff said. "The ACSO Office of Professional Standards will conduct an investigation into whether the policies of the Sheriff’s Office were followed. The deputy(s) involved have been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the parallel investigations."

No other details were released at this time.