Spring Hill Man Fatally Shot During Standoff With Deputies

SPRING HILL, FL — Deputies from the Pasco and the Hernando County sheriff's offices shot and killed a man they said broke into a home and began shooting at deputies outside, according to Hernando County Sheriff Al Nienhuis.

In a joint news conference with Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco late Tuesday afternoon, Nienhuis said around 2:30 a.m. a man and woman broke into a home on Balsam Avenue in Hudson, tied up an 89-year-old man who was sleeping in the house and stole some items from the home and the man’s SUV.

Nocco said a second woman was waiting outside and drove off in a separate vehicle.

The resident, who was unharmed, freed himself and called 911 around 6 a.m. About 45 minutes later, Hernando County deputies were called to a vehicle on fire on Dandelion Court in Spring Hill that turned out to be the stolen SUV, said Nienhuis.

Just before 1:30 p.m., Pasco detectives found the vehicle driven by the third accomplice and followed it to where the driver and passenger, both women, were disposing of items stolen during the home invasion.

The detectives confronted the two women, who admitted to stealing the items and told detectives that the man who took part in the home invasion was at a home on Holly Hock Lane in the Hernando County section of Spring Hill.

While Hernando detectives obtained a warrant for the home, other detectives kept an eye on the home and spotted a man outside the house around 1:20 p.m., Nienhuis said.

The man fled when he spotted the detectives and a Pasco K9 was brought in to track him as residents reported seeing a man jumping fences in the area.

The man eventually broke into a home and took the residents — two elderly people and two children — hostage, Nienhuis said.

Around 1:50 p.m., the man went into the garage of the home and began shooting at law enforcement outside.

“Make no mistake about this," Nocco said at the news conference. "If the individual started firing rounds that were going inside the house, we would have attacked. We would have gone inside that house. We would have neutralized the subject and rendered aid.”

Instead, law enforcement didn't return fire for fear of accidentally shooting one of the hostages. When the man finally left the house, he exchanged gunfire with deputies, who shot him around 2:05 p.m.

He was taken to a local hospital, where he later died, according to Nienhuis.

At least four deputies were involved in returning fire — three Hernando County deputies and one Pasco County K9 deputy, Nienhuis said.

All four have been placed on administrative leave while the Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigates the shooting.

The names of the deputies involved, and the victims have not been released.

The Hernando Sheriff’s Office identified the man who was fatally shot as Victor Thomas Torres, 42.

“It’s sad there’s any loss of life, but at the same time, the suspect dictated our actions,” Nocco said.

Nienhuis said Torres was affiliated with a gang and had been released from prison in May 2021 after serving four prison terms for armed robbery, kidnapping, aggravated assault on law enforcement, fleeing and eluding law enforcement, grand theft, grand theft auto and trafficking in stolen property.

The two women accused of being involved in the home invasion are in custody. They are Bridgette Harvey, 42, and Jamie Kujawa, 38.