65-Year-Old Shot by Deputy Was On ‘Rampage,’ Sheriff

ST. PETERSBURG, FL — A 65-year-old man faces a long list of charges after Pinellas County Sheriff’s deputies say he went on a “rampage,” shooting several people in his neighborhood before being shot himself.

According to the sheriff’s office, deputies made first contact with Larry Dennis Hoad, 65, around 9:30 a.m. Oct. 11. Court processing deputies went to his home in the 4800 block of 46th Avenue North to serve an eviction notice. Hoad was told he had 24 hours to leave the residence.

The deputies served the papers and left, the sheriff’s office wrote in an email to media.

Around 12:50 p.m., deputies received 911 calls about shots fired in the area of the 4600 block of 47th Way North. Sgt. Matt McLane, 38, responded to the call and parked his cruiser along 47th Way, between 46th and 47th avenues north, the sheriff’s office said.

As soon as McLane got out of the cruiser, he saw a man, walking southbound towards him. That man, the email said, “had a handgun in his right hand and a rifle in his left hand.”

McLane ordered Hoad to drop the weapons, but he refused, the email said.

Hoad “instead fired two shots at Sergeant McLane, striking his cruiser and penetrating the front and rear driver’s side doors.”

McLane returned fire, hitting Hoad in the torso and arm, incapacitating him, the sheriff’s office said.

After Hoad was incapacitated, deputies learned several people in the neighborhood had been fired upon prior to McLane’s arrival. Hoad’s neighbor, Shawn Smith, 30, was found in his home with several gunshot wounds. He was taken to Bayfront Medical Center with life-threatening injuries.

Deputies also discovered that multiple rounds had been fired into another neighbor’s home and at his vehicle. Homeowner David Foreman, 73, escaped injury.

Investigators also learned several shots had been fired at Allen R. Cameron, 69, who was painting a home along 46th Avenue North. Cameron ran and was not injured.

The sheriff’s office said after firing at Cameron, Hoad walked into the alley looking for another person he intended to shoot. That’s when he encountered Sgt. McLane.

During a media conference following Hoad’s capture, Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said Hoad was on “a violent rampage looking for more victims. We are very fortunate that Hoad did not kill a deputy sheriff.”

Hoad was taken to Bayfront with life-threatening injuries, the sheriff’s office said. He faces three counts of attempted murder and two counts of shooting into an occupied dwelling.

McLane has been placed on routine paid leave pending the outcome of an investigation into the shooting.

Phooto credit: 1999 booking photo of Larry Hoad, McLane's cruiser, guns seized from the crime scene courtesy of the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office