Barricaded man inside Davenport home surrenders after shooting at deputies
DAVENPORT, Fla. (FOX 13) - There was chaos in a usually quiet Davenport neighborhood in the early hours of Thursday morning.
Residents were kept awake as a standoff between Polk County deputies and a suspect continued to unfold.
"I think a helicopter landed in this schoolyard over here, and then we heard gunshots," said Ryan Lawrence, a resident of the neighborhood.
Authorities were called to the home on Regency Street after 20-year-old Zachary Stinson began acting out. He urinated on furniture and spray painted interior walls because he felt left out when his father went on a date.
"His father tells Zachary 'I'm leaving for the night.' He starts to get in his car, and Zachary lays down behind the car so his father can't leave the residence. That's when he called 9-1-1," said Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd.
Stinson was able to gain access to the lockbox where his father kept his guns. He then began shooting at deputies outside, almost hitting Lt. Mike Baldwin in the foot.
"It went through the pants leg, went in and out of the boot and never struck him," said Sheriff Judd.
Stinson was eventually taken into custody, but the sheriff said there were numerous warning signs that Stinson was unstable- signs he said could have prevented the whole incident.
"We've taken him to the hospital from his home on ten diffferent occasions to get him help," said Sheriff Judd. "We have been to his house on at least 28 different occasions."
Sheriff Judd said the mental health system failed, calling for drastic changes to be made.
"We have these significantly mentally ill people that are capable of great violence, there needs to be a system and process in place where we can house them safely- but we don't."
Stinson is behind bars, but Sheriff Judd said their fight for better mental healthcare is far from over.
The suspect has already been charged with five counts of attempted murder of a law enforcement officer with more charges to be added soon.