SEVILLE — A Volusia Sheriff’s Office deputy making a well-being check fired several shots through a window after a man pointed a shotgun at him, prompting a six-hour standoff with the barricaded suspect, according to an Aug. 3 Facebook post.
The sheriff’s office also sent text messages and automated phone calls to residents in Seville as the incident unfolded the night of Aug. 2, asking them to stay indoors as deputies cordoned off the 2100 block of Lake Juanita Road.
Austin Mowery, 28, surrendered around 2:32 a.m. Aug. 3 and was charged with aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer. He is being held in the Volusia County Branch Jail without bail.
Volusia sheriff’s deputy fires at Seville man pointing shotgun at him
According to the sheriff’s office, the deputy was called to the home after concerns were raised about Mowery’s mental stability and his care of the animals on the property. Mowery had been showing strange behavior, and it was believed he had been on a 40-day fast, according to the sheriff’s office Facebook post.
The deputy made contact with Mowery, who was rambling incoherently. Mowery went back inside and moments later pointed a shotgun at the deputy from a window, the Facebook post said.
The deputy fired multiple shots at Mowery through the window and took cover. Neither the deputy nor Mowery was injured, the sheriff’s office said.
Mowery then stayed inside the house for more than six hours. He surrendered at 2:32 a.m. and was arrested.
Deputy-involved shooting draws massive police response to Seville
After Mowery pointed the shotgun at the deputy, a dispatcher radioed law enforcement that an active shooter and hostile emergency were reported on Lake Juanita Road, directing fire and medical units to stage nearby.
Multiple patrol vehicles with lights and sirens were seen speeding north on U.S. 17 from DeLand. More than a dozen law enforcement vehicles, including Volusia sheriff’s deputies, the Florida Highway Patrol, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission responded to the scene.
A sheriff’s helicopter also circled above looking for the suspect.
As the event unfolded, residents started getting automated phone calls and text messages around 9:21 p.m. instructing them to stay indoors.
“Everyone in the area is asked to shelter in,” the sheriff’s office said in the text message. “If you observe anything suspicious, please call 911 immediately.”
Similar text messages and automated phone calls were made to Seville residents at 3 a.m. informing them that the incident was over.
“In reference to the incident in Seville: The Volusia Sheriff’s Office thanks you for your cooperation. The issue has been resolved,” the 3 a.m. messages said.
― Patricio G. Balona is a crime and public safety reporter covering Volusia County and occasionally Flagler County. His coverage areas include Daytona Beach, DeLand, Ormond Beach and beyond.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Seville neighborhood locked down during standoff with deputies
Reporting by Patricio G. Balona, Daytona Beach News-Journal / The Daytona Beach News-Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Patricio G. Balona, Daytona Beach News-Journal | USA TODAY Network
