Barricade Stand Off Ends With Deputies Shooting Suspect: Sheriff

BRANDON, FL — Update: A Hillsborough County Sheriff's deputy was shot Friday morning as he talked to the suspect who had been involved in a domestic violence dispute with his mom.

SWAT, Crisis Negotiation Team and K9 units were called to the Brandon house on North Taylor Road following the shooting. This led to a seven-hour standoff with the suspect, 48-year-old James Jackson.

The mother told authorities that Jackson had hit her in three places — the side of her head, on her face near her nose and where her pacemaker is inserted — and her son had closed himself off in a back bedroom. When Deputy Adriel Gonzalez, 33, went to the door to speak to him, Sheriff Chad Chronister said Jackson shot Gonzalez through the door when he moved to get closer so he could hear him.

"There's no doubt that, on this day, his intent was to kill one of our deputies," Chronister said.

The bullet hit just below the armpit at the very edge of the bulletproof vest, which Chronister credits for preventing this to be much worse. The officer has since been released from the hospital and is expected to make a full recovery.

The standoff ensued as Jackson continued to barricade himself inside the house. His elderly parents had made it out of the house safely with assistance from the SWAT Team. According to investigators, the negotiators made more than 200 phone calls to the suspect. At times during the standoff, tear gas was deployed through the house to have him leave, according to authorities. Later, he left the bedroom and started walking throughout the house, and had his gun with him the entire time.

Eventually, he barricaded himself inside the laundry room, and the SWAT Team deployed additional tear gas. The gas forced him out of the room with his gun still in his hand, according to the sheriff. Deputies told him to put his gun down several times. He refused. He moved toward the deputies as he began to raise the gun.

"Leaving them with no choice than to fire his SWAT rifle that he has," Chronister said. "At that time, he (a deputy) struck the individual in the torso two times. Our suspect still did not surrender. He still began to fight with deputies as they tried to secure him all the way to the ground as they're trying to handcuff him, he was fighting the entire time."

The suspect was taken to a local hospital where he endured surgery, deputies said.

As for the mom's injuries,"Certainly she's going to be sore, but she's a tough old lady — that's for sure," Chronister said.

Jackson faces attempted murder on a law enforcement officer and a domestic violence charge, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office. Additional charges are pending.

Original Patch Story:

One deputy with the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office has been shot at a Brandon location Friday morning, the police agency tweeted.

Officers were near the intersection of North Taylor Road and West Windhorst Road trying to communicate with a person who barricaded themselves inside a neighborhood home. The deputy was shot during this time, according to officials. The officer has been taken to a hospital. No updates have been given on their condition.

SWAT, the Crisis Negotiation Team and K9 Team are still at the location as of Friday afternoon trying to work with the barricaded person. There is no immediate threat to the public, according to police.

That is all the information given by the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office. This is a developing story. Patch will keep you updated.