Pomona Park, Fla. — Putnam County Sheriff’s Office has identified a man found dead inside of a home following a shootout with SWAT Thursday night. He is Emmanel Lee Vestal, a sheriff’s office news release states.
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Deputies were called to the home on East Main Street in Pomona Park at around 5:30 p.m. for a report of a burglary. Neighbors reported seeing a man with no shirt and dark hair breaking into the residence, the news release states.
The owner of the home told deputies that there was a firearm in the home. Neighbors reported hearing gunshots in the residence. Police said the burglar, later identified as Vestal, was given orders over a loudspeaker, but did not respond, the news release states.
Vestal barricaded himself inside the home and SWAT was called in around 7 p.m. Officers shot gas into the home in an attempt to get the suspect to surrender. He didn’t.
SWAT members attempted to enter the residence at 9:28 p.m. and Vestal began shooting, the news release states. Deputies returned fire and Vestal was found dead inside the home.
Vestal has had several incidents recently with law enforcement including a Baker Act stemming from a Sept. 16 911 call in which the caller stated Vestal was saying he had killed law enforcement officers and was planning to kill another officer, the news release states.
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Deputies said the man fired shots at them. Deputies returned fire. When they went inside, they said they found the man dead.
The Sheriff’s Office said it would release more information on Friday.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating the shooting.
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