A suspect, who appeared to have a gun in his hand, was actually armed with a stapler and wanted to die from suicide by cop when he was shot and killed by a deputy in Auburndale Monday night, Sheriff Grady Judd said.
The Polk County SWAT team was called to a house in the 1100 block of Dixie Drive in Auburndale after a suspect, identified as 34-year-old Dominic Fuller, barricaded himself in the home.
Investigators said Fuller ran from deputies who were investigating suspected drug activity on Delon Court. Deputies said Fuller ran to nearby campers trying to hide and get away, telling people he was armed. Nicole Deese thinks he even tried her door.
"And next thing I know, my daughter says she thought she heard footsteps," said Deese, who hid in a bedroom with her kids. "I heard a little bit of commotion on the back porch and that's when I went in my back room and locked my door."
Fuller allegedly stood in the doorway of one camper. When ordered to surrender, Judd said Fuller raised what a deputy believed was a black and silver handgun and pointed it at deputies.
Deputy Gabriel Reveron, in fear for his life and others, fired five rounds at the suspect, according to the sheriff’s office.
"He made a split second decision based upon a choice - a bad choice the suspect made,” Judd said. “We don't choose to shoot people, people choose for us to shoot them."
Fuller was found inside the home dead from an apparent gunshot wound to the upper body. Deputies said a firearm was not located in the house with Fuller. Deputies located a black and silver stapler near the body.
The sheriff said Fuller was a suspect in a recent shooting and has a criminal record in four states showing various charges including violent crimes.
Deputy Reveron, 33, has been placed on paid administrative leave, per standard protocol. Reveron was hired as a deputy sheriff in 2010.
No deputies or citizens were injured during the incident. An autopsy will be conducted to determine the exact cause of death.