By Danny Valentine, Times Staff Writer
Monday, April 2, 2012
DADE CITY — A 23-year-old man who threatened a family member with a gun was shot and killed early Monday after pointing his weapon at deputies, according to Pasco County Sheriff's Office reports.
Justin Plaza died outside his home on the 14000 block of Morgan Street.
"The suspect — he chose the actions that we had to do," said Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco. "There was no choice for our law enforcement officers but to fire at the suspect. Mr. Plaza is the one who decided the outcome."
Dade City police received a 911 call about 11 p.m. Sunday to 14022 Morgan St. after Plaza aimed a handgun at a relative.
Officers were familiar with Plaza. On March 25, police took him into custody under the Baker Act after he fired seven or eight rounds into a tree, said Dade City Police Capt. David Duff.
In that case, Plaza dropped the weapon and no shots were fired, he said. Officers said he was argumentative, combative and paranoid, saying people were out to get him, Duff said. Officers took the weapon and still had it in their custody Sunday night. It wasn't clear where the other gun came from, he said.
When Dade City officers got to the home Sunday night, an unidentified woman came running out of the house, Nocco said.
Plaza had just put a gun to her head. "We need to pray," he told her.
Another woman was still inside the home and officers were able to get her out through a back window, according to police.
Plaza refused to speak with officers, becoming aggressive, and shut himself inside the home. Police called in the SWAT team and secured the scene, making sure he couldn't leave, Duff said.
A joint sheriff's office and New Port Richey Police SWAT team arrived around 12:45 a.m. and began evacuating the neighborhood.
After setting up a perimeter, they made contact with Plaza.
At some point, he came out of the home with a gun by his side, Nocco said. Authorities tried to get him to drop the weapon, but he retreated inside.
After about eight minutes, he came outside again and pointed his handgun at a group of deputies near the armored vehicle. Deputies opened fire. Plaza never fired his weapon, Nocco said.
"We have no other option but to return fire at him," he said.
Medical help, on standby nearby, arrived moments later, but Plaza died at the scene.
The number of deputies who fired weapons and the number of bullets fired was under investigation Monday morning.
"I just think this is another incident in the Tampa Bay region, showing how violent people can be to law enforcement," Nocco said.