Mascotte home invasion suspect killed, 1 sought

Lake County deputies are searching for a home invasion suspect. They have one suspect in custody and another was killed after a deputy shot him.

FOX 35 was there when Lake County deputies took suspect Richard McNealy into custody. It happened 300 yards away from where a home invasion took place this morning off Taylor Street. Millard Ives is reporter from the Daily Commercial.

He says he was interviewing a neighbor, when he noticed something strange by a truck.

"I walked over to it and noticed there was a person squatting down behind the truck. That's when I ran to the street and told the deputies."

Deputies say three home invasion suspects broke into this blue home where a family was inside.  One person was pistol whipped and another shot in the hand. The victims were able to call 911 and when deputies arrived they say they confronted one of the suspects.

Fred Jones, of the Lake County Sheriff's Office says, "He pointed an assault rifle at the deputy and which the deputy fired his weapon."

Investigators say 20-year-old Chacarion Avant was shot and later died at the hospital.

"I couldn't believe it. I still don't believe it."

Avant's cousin, Nanette Jackson says, he shouldn't have been shot. He once lived in this house, which is just a few doors down from the home invasion.

"There's consequence to his actions. What he did was wrong. But as far as him being shot, I don't think they had to shoot him."

Avant's step brother also told us, that the gun he had was jammed.

"He didn't deserve to die."

As deputies continue their search for the third suspect, neighbors are worried. Victoria Lopez says, "It's crazy, I'm scared to be home alone. I don't want to be here so I went to my friends house."

Meanwhile Ives has been a crime reporter since 1998. He's never become part of the story until today. "This is the first time, that I saw one of the suspects they were looking for."

Deputies are searching for a person of interested named Deondre Brown. Anyone with information is asked to call the Lake County Sheriff's Office.