On April 24, 2010, officers responded to a suicide report from an address in Lehigh Acres, Florida. They were advised to investigate the deceased person on scene and that a second “suicide victim” had run into the woods.
Sergeant Patrick McDonald and Deputy Ryan Justham made a search of the residence. Deputy Justham located a hidden suspect in a bedroom. Both Deputy Justham and another officer ordered the suspect to come out while Sergeant McDonald and two additional officers continued to search the residence.
The suspect refused to surrender and immediately opened fire on Deputy Justham and his backup. Another officer took cover in a bathroom that shared the wall with the room containing the suspect. Deputy Justham positioned himself in the kitchen and returned fire. Both Sergeant McDonald and Deputy Justham maneuvered tactically by switching positions of cover while the other returned fire, suppressing the suspect’s gunfire.
Together, they engaged the suspect and prevented him from leaving his place of cover and advancing on the deputy who was trapped in the bathroom. The suspect was fatally wounded in the exchange of gunfire.
Media Release
