A 39-year-old Texas man apparently killed himself Saturday after he shot two women in Bushnell.
The Sumter County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call at 1:35 p.m. Saturday. The female caller said she wanted a man removed from her location at 2565 SW 76th Lane in Bushnell. While deputies were on their way, the communications center advised that the woman had cried out and the phone disconnected. The SCSO Communications Center received a call back from the location with the caller advising that another female had been shot and the suspect fled on foot into the woods.
Deputies arrived at 1:43 p.m. and advised the first victim, a 35-year-old female had been shot in the chest area, and a second victim, a 21-year-old female had been shot in the shoulder area. While on scene deputies advised they heard shots fired from the woods behind the location. The SCSO S.W.A.T. team, K-9 and Eagle 1 helicopter unit from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office were called to the scene.
As deputies were setting up the perimeter and searching the wooded area behind the residence, a call came in that advised the suspect was spotted in his vehicle on County Road 683.
While deputies were searching the area deputies discovered the suspects’ vehicle just south of Breezy Oaks RV Park CR 673. The trunk of the vehicle was open and a perimeter was set up. Eagle 1 advised that the suspect was approximately 100 feet east of the vehicle in the wood line and not moving.
Deputies approached the subject and discovered Michael Brown and it appeared he had tied jumper cables to a tree and around his neck asphyxiating himself. Deputies also found a handgun at his feet. An autopsy will be performed Sunday by the Fifth Judicial Circuit Medical Examiner’s Office in Leesburg.
The 35-year-old victim was airlifted to Ocala Regional Medical Center and is believed to be in critical condition, according to the sheriff’s office. The 21-year-old victim was transported by ambulance to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tampa and is believed to be in stable condition.
