Armed suspect shot by deputy during domestic violence call: HCSO
Suspect shot during domestic violence call
Body camera video shows the moment a Hillsborough County deputy shot an armed suspect in Riverview early Sunday. FOX 13’s Jordan Bowen reports.
RIVERVIEW, Fla. - A domestic dispute turned into a deputy-involved shooting early Sunday morning, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.
The incident happened in the 10500 block of Lake Montauk Drive in Riverview.
The scene of the deputy-involved shooting in Riverview. Courtesy: Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.
According to Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister, the victim’s ex-husband called 911 just before 4 a.m.
"The victim's ex-husband was conveying to us that his adult son, who is one of the three adult children, was advising their father that the new boyfriend who's lived with her about three months beat her up and lit the bedroom on fire," Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister said.
What we know:
Manuel Alvarez, 50, is suspected of hitting the victim, who was found by deputies with a bruise on her face when they got to the house.
According to Chronister, he has lived in the Riverview home for about three months.
Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister spoke about the incident on Sunday morning.
Deputies say that as they spoke to the victim, they could hear Alvarez upstairs, who was upset deputies were on the scene.
Dig deeper:
As deputies went upstairs to approach Alvarez, they say he yelled, "Come on up, I’m gonna shoot your a**."
According to Chronister, two deputies were sent to the home, and it was 35-year-old Deputy Shawn Swinford who struck Alvarez twice in the upper torso after Alvarez pointed a gun at him.
Body camera footage from deputy-involved shooting
Body camera footage shows Hillsborough Deputy Shawn Swinford shooting Manuel Alvarez on Sunday morning. Courtesy: Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.
"The deputy having a moment like ‘oh boy, this is really happening,’ tries to get some type of concealment behind a laundry room and he fires several shots striking our suspect twice in the upper torso area," Chronister said.
He was given first aid on the scene, according to Chronister.
HCSO says Alvarez is now at an area hospital, where he is undergoing surgery and is in critical condition.
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According to Chronister, he has no criminal history but was Baker Acted in 2022.
Chronister says Swinford has been placed on administrative leave with pay.
What we don't know:
No information has been provided on the identity of the victim or the victim’s ex-husband or adult children. The identity of the second responding deputy is also unknown at this time.
Big picture view:
Chronister urged victims of domestic violence to get help, saying to call The Spring of Tampa Bay at 813-247-7233 for help.
"This was a volatile and dangerous situation that could have turned deadly for our deputies and others. Our deputies are trained to make critical decisions under pressure, and in this case, our deputy made a split-second decision to not only protect himself, but everyone in that home," said Chronister. "This incident began with an act of domestic violence, a heartbreaking reality that affects individuals and families in our community. If you are a victim of abuse, I urge you to contact law enforcement. There is support, there are resources, and there is a way out."
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FDLE is investigating the incident; more information will be provided when available.
The Source: This story was written with information provided by the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.
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