An armed robbery suspect barricaded himself in a residence and held police at bay for several hours Wednesday afternoon in Lady Lake.
Michael DeShaun Pettis, 18, who lives in The Cove apartments on U.S. Hwy. 27/441, had used a social media platform to arrange the purchase of a gaming device, according to an arrest report from the Lady Lake Police Department. When the seller arrived at the apartment complex, Pettis and a 17-year-old accomplice ordered the seller to hand over the device and leave the apartment complex. Pettis, who was arrested in December in a shooting at the apartment complex, brandished a gun at the seller and told him, “You better get to walking.” Pettis ran away with the gaming device.
A K-9 unit responded to the scene and tracked Pettis to a residence in the 600 block of First Avenue. Police confirmed it was the residence of Pettis’ 17-year-old accomplice. Police negotiated with Pettis for “several hours” before he eventually walked out through the front door and surrendered. A search of the residence turned up the stolen gaming device which had been hidden in a dryer.
Pettis is facing a felony charge of robbery with a deadly weapon. He was booked at the Lake County Jail on $50,000 bond.
The 17-year-old was also taken into custody.