5-Hour SWAT Standoff In Pinellas Park Ends With Man Shooting Self

PINELLAS PARK, FL — A SWAT standoff lasting more than five hours at a Pinellas Park house Wednesday ended when a man shot and killed himself.

Pinellas Park police responded to a house at 4650 76th Ave. N. at 45th Way at 10:10 a.m. after someone called 911 to report shots fired, and then hung up.

When they arrived, officers heard gunshots and screaming. As they approached the door of the home, a shot was fired from inside, striking a vehicle parked just outside the front door.

Officers quickly evacuating surround apartments while the SWAT team attempted to communication with the person inside the house.

Police discovered that a man was holding two young girls and a woman hostage inside. Shortly before noon, the two girls were released without injuries and the woman was released unharmed at 3:19 p.m.

The SWAT team continued negotiating with the man inside and then tried entering the home at 4:05 p.m.

At that time, SWAT team members heard multiple shots from the home and found the man inside dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

His name hasn't been released. Police are trying to identify and notify his next of kin.