Posted on 04/20/2006 6:42:31 PM PDT by grjr21
FOREST CITY, Fla. -- A $60 million lottery winner was shot by two Seminole County deputies. Robert Swofford, Jr. is in the hospital with four gunshot wounds.
Swofford, 54, may have thought the deputies on his private property were intruders, but the officers who were looking for a burglar. Instead, they ran into the armed man.
The Seminole County Sheriff's Office released video taken by their helicopter just moments after deputies shot Swofford at his home off 436 near Forest City. They said he had an semi-automatic weapon and refused to drop it.
Swofford's close friend told Channel 9 on Thursday that people are always lurking around his expensive cars on his property. A sheriff's search dog led two deputies onto Swofford's property from the back, about 200 feet behind the house. Then, the three found themselves gun to gun.
The two deputies, dog-handler Billy Morris, a 10-year veteran, and rookie officer Ronnie Remus, said they identified themselves as sheriff's deputies and told the man they thought was their car burglary suspect to drop the gun. Instead, they said, he moved the 9-millimeter handgun toward them and they opened fire.Later, they found out they had shot the $60 million lotto winner.
"My gut feeling is that an alarm went off in the house and he went off to investigate," said Swofford’s close friend Don Buchholz.Swofford's friends said he's installed cameras, sensors and alarm systems all over his property. Since he won the lotto jackpot, he's had a lot of trespassers."People coming on the property, scoping the cars out. We've had to chase them, yeah. We've had a lot of excitement around here," Buchholz said.
But the sheriff's office said they have no written reports of any trespassers on the property and would never recommend that someone take matters into their own hands, unless there was no other alternative, because of the very possibility that something like this could happen.The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is trying to find out why Swofford didn't drop his gun.
His friends don't understand why it happened either."I'm upset. I'm not pointing the finger at anybody. Right now, to me, it was a big accident," Buchholz said.This isn't the first time that Swofford has made headlines since winning the lotto jackpot.
First, he didn't collect the money until his divorce was final. But, eventually, as part of the divorce settlement, he gave his wife $5 million and he has now reunited with her. Then, he was sued twice by his wife's sister, with whom he also has a child.
Two deputies are on administrative leave after Thursday morning's shooting. Deputy Billy Morse has been with the sheriff's office for ten years. Deputy Ronnie Remus has been with Seminole County for one year.Sheriff's records show Deputy Billy Morris has had a few problems during his ten years on the force. Among them, he failed to identify himself as a deputy while off-duty breaking up a bar fight and he shot and killed a suspect's dog a few years ago while trying to make an arrest
You have been watching Dallas television stations, eh?
From the helicopter video image, I'd say night
This article says "The shooting happened early this morning at a home in Forest City."
I'd guess closer to midnight than 8AM - burglars tend not to work the breakfast shift.
Voice in the dark "We're deputies" - inspires confidence and trust.
The cop came asking questions because a boat was stolen from a summer home down the lake from me. He was asking if we saw anything.
This cop came from Detroit and joined our 5 man police force and needed to learn to cope.
Especially when he was most likely blinded by flashlights on previously night-aclimated eyes.
Sounds like he was suffering from Post Detroit Combat Syndrome.
Damned if I know what is official in florida. i do know around here all they want to wear are their wannabee soldier suit coveralls with combat boots.
Thankfully the Maryland State troopers are a lot better about it, but they wear them to sometimes.
Could this be the first '"no retreat" vs. cop' test of our new law?
They could have called on the phone first, or knocked on the front door.
wftv.com. ^ | 7:08 am EDT April 20, 2006 | wftv.comLater report
The Seminole County Sheriff's Office released video taken by their helicopter just moments after deputies shot Swofford at his home off 436 near Forest City. They said he had an semi-automatic weapon and refused to drop it. Swofford's close friend told Channel 9 on Thursday that people are always lurking around his expensive cars on his property. A sheriff's search dog led two deputies onto Swofford's property from the back, about 200 feet behind the house. Then, the three found themselves gun to gun. The two deputies, dog-handler Billy Morris, a 10-year veteran, and rookie officer Ronnie Remus, said they identified themselves as sheriff's deputies and told the man they thought was their car burglary suspect to drop the gun. Instead, they said, he moved the 9-millimeter handgun toward them and they opened fire.
Central Florida Lottery Winner Shot By DeputyUh-oh! Cops changing their story, Can you say deep doo-doo?
POSTED: 11:40 am EDT April 20, 2006
A 54-year-old former lottery winner was shot by Seminole County, Fla., sheriff's deputies early Thursday as officers searched his property for a car theft suspect, WKMG-TV in Orlando reported.
Investigators said a deputy and a K-9 unit were in pursuit of a car theft suspect on Robert Swofford's property near Forest Lake Drive in Altamonte Springs early Thursday.
Police said Swofford allegedly pointed a shotgun at the deputies as they searched his property for the burglary suspect. Deputies said when it did not appear that Swofford wanted to back down, they fired a shot.
Ansd if you go onto a prpoerty and a guy confronts you with a shotgun - he's probably not the burglar you think you are chasing.
LOL, good point.
"As soon as possible after winning the lottery, move to Galt's Gulch.".....Sorry, no room here, but I do have a spare bedroom I could rent out, sorta expensive. Here in Nawth Flawaduh, we have to name our driveway if it's longer than 300'. Mine is, therefor I live on Galt's Gulch. On the maps & 'offishul' road sign, even.
Working on mine.
As you probably know, "gulching" is both a lifestyle and an art form.
Surprisingly high maintenance, though.
See ya' in the gulch, brother (or sister).
This story is rather suspicious. I'd be asking why the cops really showed up at this guy's house. I suspect the cops aren't as cleancut as we'd like to think. Sorry, while 90 percent of the cops in America are law-abiding...10 percent aren't. We have reasons to maintain our security.
On your island, maybe.
Maybe he did drop his gun upon being ordered to do so by the deputies. They don't have any holes in them, do they?
I'm with you on that.
If I ever won the lotto I'd just buy an island someplace and declare myself an independent country...
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