EUSTIS, Fla. -- An armed man who was responsible for holding two people hostage has been killed by Lake County Sheriff's Office deputies early Thursday morning, according to authorities.
- Man who held 2 hostage shot, killed by deputies
- Tracey Alan Richards broke into home, threatened to kill
- Deputies say Richards confronted them armed
Lt. John Herrell of the Lake County Sheriff's Office stated that deputies helped the Eustis Police Department with a hostage situation at a Eustis home on North Center Street.
Herrell says the original call came in at 3:41 a.m.
After negotiations failed, the armed man, who has been identified as Tracey Alan Richards, confronted deputies outside the home and he was shot and killed, explained Herrell in an emailed news release.
"He actually broke into the home. They were in fear for their safety, they were in fear of this guy, and they knew that he had been making some suicidal remarks and making threatening remarks, Herrell said.
"But apparently (Richards) broke in through a window, was able to enter the house, and he wouldn’t let them go. He threatened to kill them if they tried to leave," he added.
Herrell said Richards made his way to the back of a shopping plaza where the SWAT team followed him and tried to get Richards to put the gun down.
"He came at the SWAT team armed with a gun, charged at them, yelling at them, at which time they shot him to protect themselves," said Herrell.
Herrell says Richards was arrested in 2012 for violating probation.
About a month ago, Herrell says Eustis Police was called to the same home on North Center Street after they say Richards tore up the inside of it.
They say Richards and his wife were in the process of separating and going through a divorce.
As with standard procedure, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating the shooting and 5 deputies are on paid administrative leave, Herrell stated.