WALTON COUNTY, Fla. — A seven-hour standoff with an armed man reportedly experiencing a mental health crisis ended peacefully after the Walton County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) took the man into protective custody, the agency said.
According to the WCSO, the situation began around 2:20 p.m. on November 30, when the WCSO received information from the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office in Tennessee. The Tennessee agency reported that a man had sent his wife disturbing images of himself holding a firearm to his head while on the beach.
The man was thought to be in the Miramar Beach area, and a vehicle description was provided.
According to the WCSO, the man’s vehicle was located near U.S. Highway 98 and Sandestin Lane, where deputies coordinated efforts to initiate a traffic stop safely. By 2:35 p.m., the vehicle was stopped near Southhaven Circle, and traffic on U.S. 98 was shut down to minimize risks to the public.
Deputies attempted to engage the man in conversation, but he repeatedly refused, stating he was on the phone with his wife, according to WCSO. Crisis Negotiations Unit (CNU) personnel arrived and spoke with the wife, who reportedly revealed the man expressed intentions to provoke law enforcement into using deadly force.
Over several hours, the man is said to have made multiple threats of self-harm and warned deputies he might drive away to force them to act. Despite the escalating tension, negotiators continued efforts to de-escalate the situation, the WCSO reported.
Additional resources were brought to the scene, including WCSO’s Drone Unit, Investigations, and SWAT. At approximately 9 p.m., a drone provided a closer view of the vehicle, and shortly after, the man pointed his firearm at the drone and then at himself, the WCSO said.
Around 10 p.m., the man reportedly started his vehicle and attempted to leave. The WCSO said SWAT members deployed non-lethal irritants into the car, prompting the man to throw his loaded .45-caliber handgun out of the vehicle.
Deputies quickly secured him and transported him to a local hospital for evaluation, the agency said.
U.S. 98 was reopened soon after, ending the standoff without injuries, the WCSO stated.
“This incident showcased the professionalism of numerous aspects of our agency, from CNU to our Drone Team to SWAT,” said Walton County Sheriff Michael Adkinson.
“We realize many people were frustrated by the traffic it created, but everyone went home, and no one lost their life. That, to us, is a win.”
