1 deputy shot dead, 2 suffering gunshot wounds in ambush

(TAVARES, Fla.) — Three Lake County Sheriff’s deputies were shot, one fatally, while they were responding to a report of disturbance in a Florida home.

One deputy is dead. Another deputy was struck in the shoulder and is now in stable condition. The third deputy was struck in the armpit, the groin and the stomach area multiple times, has undergone surgery and is in serious critical condition, Lake County Sheriff Peyton Grinnell said during a press conference.

Deputies responded to a call about a disturbance that was in progress and while they were conducting their investigation, they learned there was an issue at a home a few houses down from where they were, Grinnell said.

The deputies then responded there and saw what appeared to be the back door kicked in and they heard a disturbance inside the house. When the deputies entered the home, there was “a lot of gunfire” and one of the deputies was struck, Grinnell said.

The backup deputy with him was able to retreat out of the home but the first deputy was trapped inside the home.

Multiple deputies responded to the scene and formed a “rescue team” to go back into the house and attempt to get the deputy inside the home and they were met with a “hail of gunfire” and another deputy sheriff was struck, but they were able to retreat from the house, Grinnell said.

“It was a very violent scene,” Grinnell said.

“They were ambushed,” he said.

Law enforcement then mobilized the SWAT team as they were dealing with “a lot of firepower,” Grinnell said.

Of the people inside the home, two are dead and one was transported and their condition is unknown, according to Grinnell. They found multiple firearms in the home.

There is no longer a threat to the public, according to Grinnell.

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