Police: Man armed with rifle shot, killed by officers in Palm Bay
PALM BAY, Fla. - A man was shot and killed by police officers in Palm Bay early Tuesday morning after that man threatened others with a gun and then barricaded himself in the backyard of a home, police said.
The Palm Bay Police Department received a 911 call around 12:30 a.m., and responded to a home in the 100 block of Tucson Road SW. A woman called 911 and said a man was armed with a gun and threatened her and other people inside the home, police said in a news release.
Police said officers tried to talk to the man, but he barricaded himself in the backyard and was armed with a rifle and a handgun. Eventually, officers confronted the man, who refused their commands, and shots were fired.
The man died at the scene, police said. He was identified as 46-year-old Michael Dishong, of Palm Bay.
People in the area woke up to the sound of police and gunshots.
"They always say it sounds like fireworks, but me, I knew I knew it was gunshots," said Joseph Aguirre.
Multiple gunshots rang out in this otherwise quiet neighborhood. At least five bullet holes were marked by investigators at the front door of the home. Blood could be seen in the driveway.
"When I see this many cars, I know something really bad happened," said Pamala Brown.
Kathy Motes says the sound of helicopters and police officers outside her home woke her up early this morning.
"There was a bunch of policemen, police officers driving around in their cars, telling residents to get back into their houses and then about an hour later I started hearing gunshots," said Motes. "It was like get your hands up, and I heard them say lay down. I guess he didn’t cooperate," said Motes.
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No officers or other people were hurt in the shooting, the police department said.
The officers involved have been placed on paid administrative leave, which is standard protocol, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) will investigate the police-involved shooting. The names of the officers involved were not released.