CENTER HILL, FL (352today.com) – NEW INFORMATION: The Sumter County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) has released more details about the days leading up to a deadly standoff and the results of a preliminary investigation.
Deputies say that when they attempted to arrest Wayne Raulerson on a warrant days before the shooting occurred, he ran away from deputies.
On Tuesday, Dec. 12, the sheriff’s office says that is when they received information that Raulerson was at his home with several firearms and claimed that he would not be going to jail. SCSO also shared in a Facebook post that Raulerson stated he was going to ‘shoot himself.’
“We responded with our SWAT team and Negotiation team to attempt to negotiate with this suspect as it appeared he was an individual determined not to be taken into custody and not to be taken alive,” shared the sheriff’s office.
SCSO says a preliminary investigation shows that the suspect died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The sheriff’s office says they send their sincerest condolences to all of the families affected by the shooting.
“We are thankful that the men and women of our SWAT team are safe, and we ask for continued prayers for all,” said SCSO.
ORIGINAL:
The Sumter County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) says deputies shot and killed a man during a standoff at a home in Center Hill Tuesday afternoon.
SCSO says deputies went to a home at 132 W Prairie Street around 3:30 p.m. to arrest 44-year-old Wayne Raulerson.
They say he was wanted on child sex charges including lewd or lascivious molestation of a child under the age of 12.
“The Sumter County Sheriff’s Office was provided information that the suspect was armed and made statements he would not be taken alive,” said the sheriff’s office in a news release posted on Facebook.
Based on that information, SCSO says it activated its SWAT and hostage negotiation teams and dispatched multiple units to secure the neighborhood.
SCSO says Raulerson came out of the house with a rifle. They say they gave him commands to drop his rifle.
“He advanced towards the SWAT team and fired his rifle, SWAT returned fire, and the suspect suffered fatal injuries,” said SCSO in its release.
No deputies were injured during the incident.
As is standard in an officer-involved shooting, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement is called in to investigate.