19-year-old kills parents, shoots deputy: Florida sheriff

TAMPA, Fla. ( WFLA ) — A 19-year-old Tampa man was killed in a shootout after he allegedly killed both of his parents and injured a deputy in an overnight standoff, according to Florida authorities.

Shortly after 11 p.m. Saturday, deputies from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office were called to a Tampa home after a woman called dispatch, saying her husband had been shot.

While she was on the phone, several more gunshots were heard by the dispatcher.

When deputies arrived, they found the alleged shooter, 19-year-old Christos Alexander, and his mother outside the home.

The sheriff’s office said the suspect then shot his mother in the back of the head and fired his gun at the law enforcement officers, injuring 26-year-old Deputy Shane McGough.

Five deputies returned fire at the suspect, hitting Alexander and knocking him to the ground. However, he then crawled back inside the home and barricaded himself inside, Sheriff Chad Chronister explained.

The HCSO SWAT team, crisis negotiators, and a robot arrived on scene to help enter the home. Deputies used their robot to enter the home through the front door.

“Unfortunately, the first person we encounter on the ground is the father,” the sheriff said. “The father had succumbed to his injuries.”

The SWAT Team then entered the home, finding Alexander dead from his injuries in another room.

“The monster we encountered this evening isn’t just responsible for injuring our deputy, he’s also the subject who killed his own mother and father,” Chronister said after the incident.

McGough was hospitalized at St. Joseph’s Hospital and is expected to recover, officials said. He was expected to undergo surgery to remove the bullet from his leg on Sunday morning.

“[The] deputies do a great job,” the sheriff continued. “Their training kicks in. They start rendering aid. They remove the deputy from this dangerous position and place where he was exchanging gunfire, get him out of the line of sight from our bad guy, and immediately start lifesaving measures by applying a tourniquet on his leg so he doesn’t bleed out.”

According to Chronister, Alexander lived with his parents. Deputies were called to the home 10 times before the deadly shooting, mostly for mental health services and violence against his parents.

Video: Sheriff Chronister provides an update to the media following Saturday’s incident. The details he provides may be disturbing, viewer’s discretion is advised.

The sheriff said there was also an active risk protection order against Alexander that led to deputies seizing his guns. Investigators are working to find out how he obtained the gun used on Saturday.

“How did this mentally ill subject have access to any type of firearms when we took his firearms,” the sheriff said. “They’re in our custody. How did he have access to any type of firearms to be able to inflict this type of violence this evening?”

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is now investigating the incident. None of the deputies involved used deadly force prior to Saturday night, according to authorities.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PAhomepage.com.