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A2 UP FRONT
Wednesday 23 May 2018
Sheriff: Suspect in Florida standoff, gunfire, found dead

PANAMA CITY, Fla. (AP) — Witnesses heard rounds of
A man suspected of trad- gunfire between noon and
ing wild bursts of gunfire 12:30 p.m.
with officers during a long The injured person was tak-
standoff in the Florida Pan- en to a hospital, and while
handle was found dead her identity was unclear,
Tuesday in a gasoline- authorities said it was a
soaked apartment after civilian. It wasn’t immedi-
an armored vehicle ap- ately clear how the person
proached, authorities said. was hurt.
“We were just blessed that During the day Tuesday,
we didn’t lose multiple of- authorities elsewhere on
ficers and citizens today,” the Panhandle said they
Bay County Sheriff Tommy discovered a suspicious
Ford said at a news con- death in Santa Rosa Beach,
ference in Panama City, a a community in neigh-
small Gulf Coast city near boring Walton County
the state’s famous sugar- about 40 miles (65 kilome-
sand beaches. He said a ters) northwest along the
robot had to be deployed Florida coast. There, they
to check the apartment said, 30-year-old Clinton
before officers could enter, Street was shot to death —
finding the man dead. and authorities said they
No law enforcement Walton County Sheriff’s Office personnel investigate a crime scene, Tuesday, May 22, 2018, in had connected that slay-
agents were shot or wound- Santa Rosa Beach, Fla. (Devon Ravine/Northwest Florida Daily News via AP) ing with the Panama City
ed but one person leaving standoff.
her apartment was injured He described the danger- heavy gunfire had pinned agents had surrounded the Ford said police officers
and in stable condition, he ous situation that unfolded several officers down at apartment building. eventually used an ar-
said. Tuesday in the tourist com- times as the suspected The sheriff wouldn’t say mored vehicle to get to
“Luckily none of the good munity as a “nightmare assailant fired from an el- whether the suspect, the apartment. Around
guys were hurt,” Ford said scenario for us.” evated position with a rifle. 49-year-old Kevin Robert 2:30 p.m., he said, officers
at a news conference. Ford said sporadic bursts of Several law enforcement Holroyd, killed himself dur- ignited a flash grenade
ing the barrage of bullets and drove the armored
or if he was struck by an vehicle to break into Hol-
officer’s bullet, but he said royd’s apartment, and
officers did hear a final, used a robot to search the
muffled shot from inside residence. Kim Allagood,
the apartment before the owner of a nearby pizza
scene went silent. He also restaurant, said “tons and
said Holroyd doused the tons” of police descend-
apartment in gasoline and ed on the area and she
tried to set it on fire. locked down her restau-
Broadcasters showed tele- rant for close to two hours
vised footage of armed amid sporadic shooting.
officers kneeling behind Florida Gov. Rick Scott
police cars and other posi- talked to Bay County Sher-
tions around the building as iff Tommy Ford about the
gunfire continued sporadi- situation in Panama City.
cally and sirens blared. John Tupps, a spokesman
“These units were taking for Scott, said the main
numerous rounds of fire point of the call was to of-
from the subject,” the sher- fer state law enforcement
iff said. assistance.q

Bay County Sheriff’s Office personnel respond to an active
shooter at the corner of 23rd Street and Beck Avenue, Tuesday,
May 22, 2018, in Panama City, Fla.
(Joshua Boucher/News Herald via AP)