Sheriff: Deputy-involved shooting in Sanford believed to be tied to fatal Volusia County stabbing
SANFORD, Fla. - An investigation into a body found along a Volusia County trail has led back to a shooting incident in Seminole County.
The Volusia County Sheriff's Office confirmed to FOX 35 News that the body of a woman was found along a rural trail off Osteen Maytown Road on Tuesday. The woman appeared to have died from multiple stab wounds, investigators said.
A vehicle that the woman had been leasing was tracked down in Sanford, where a shooting occurred on Wednesday afternoon involving Seminole County deputies.
The victim has been identified as Amy Desiree Layne Humphries, 28, of Orange City.
"Our victim was not killed there," Sheriff Chitwood said. "She was dumped there and she sustained massive, massive injuries."
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Sheriff Chitwood said investigators learned that the victim recently leased a 2021 Volkswagen Jetta. Through technology, the sheriff explained that they found that the vehicle was on the move in Volusia County on Tuesday night and was in close proximity to the crime scene on Wednesday morning.
Continued investigation led them to reportedly finding out that the vehicle was in Sanford. The Seminole County Sheriff's Office was notified and found the vehicle, which Sheriff Chitwood said they saw occupied twice.
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Seminole County Sheriff Dennis Lemma said deputies spotted the vehicle in front of a laundromat and confronted two men.
"The two suspects left the car, immediately ran towards the front of the business. One individual automatically laid on the ground and surrendered to the deputies that were there; another ran around the corner of the laundromat," Sheriff Lemma explained. "As he ran around the corner, one of our deputies was in chase."
Sheriff Lemma said the man being chased by the deputy pulled out a firearm and pointed it at the deputy.
"At least two of our deputies fired multiple shots at the time," the sheriff added.
The man who was shot has been identified as Brandon Paul McLean, 32. Lemma said McLean fled into a residential area where witnesses told deputies that he fired an unknown number of shots at detectives who again returned fire.
McLean, was struck multiple times. Detectives rendered first aid, then took McLean into custody. He was transported to a local hospital in stable condition. Detectives were not injured.
"I am so proud of these deputies, who without regard for their own safety, brought this dangerous and violent offender in to custody," said Sheriff Dennis Lemma.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is now investigating the deputy-involved shooting.
During the shooting incident, Sanford Middle School was locked down due to law enforcement activity in the area, school officials said.
FOX 35 is working to obtain more information, check back for details.