Sheriff: Man dead after exchanging gunfire with deputies

APOPKA, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) - Authorities in Orange County say a man was mortally wounded after he exchanged gunfire with deputies.

Shortly before 1 p.m., deputies were attempting to serve a felony warrant to a man in the 2100 block of W. McCormick Rd., when he refused to come out of the home.  A woman inside the home, identified as the man's grandmother, was safely escorted from residence by deputies, who said they saw the man was brandishing a firearm.

For several hours, deputies attempted to coax the man outside of the home.  Members of the Orange County Sheriff's Office SWAT team arrived and then gave commands for the man to surrender. 

According to Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings, the man flashed a gun at them, so members of the SWAT team responded by firing non-lethal, plastic ammunition at the suspect. The man retreated inside the house and fired one round at deputies, Demings said. 

"A few minutes pass, and then the individual came back to the front door, firing rounds out the door at deputy sheriffs. They returned fire and mortally wounded the individual," Demings added.

The man, identified only as a 19-year-old white man, was transported to a hospital where he was pronounced deceased.

Sheriff Demings said that after reviewing drone video of the incident, he believes his deputies acted in self-defense.  The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating.