We were sitting in the MH reading when a helicopter went overhead at a low altitude, not unusual. Then it kept circling overhead. We could see it said "Sheriff" on the side. So this is the rest of the story:
SUMTER COUNTY --
Sumter County deputies say the man who shot and injured two women Saturday is dead, leaving questions for investigators.
At 1:35 p.m. deputies say they received a call in reference to trespassing. The caller told dispatchers 39-year-old Michael Brown, Texas, was trespassing on her property. Deputies say before they arrived, the caller screamed and the call was disconnected.
Moments later, another call came in from the same location stating that two women had been shot and that the suspect ran into the woods.
Deputies arrived at 1:43 p.m., and say while tending to the victims they heard gunshots in the woods behind the house.
Deputies called for medical transport, along with activating SWAT and K-9 teams. The Lake County Sheriff's Office helicopter, Eagle 1, also helped with the search.
Deputies say the first victim, a 35-year-old woman, was airlifted to Ocala Regional Medical Center believed to be in critical condition with a gunshot wound to the chest. The second victim, a 21-year-old female, was driven by ambulance to St. Joseph's Hospital in Tampa after being shot in the shoulder and is believed to be in stable condition.
While deputies were setting up the perimeter and beginning to search for the suspect, it was reported that Brown was seen in his vehicle on County Road 683.
During their search of the area, deputies located Brown's vehicle with an open trunk, just south of Sumter Oaks RV park on County Road 673 at approximately 4:41 p.m.
As deputies set a perimeter, they say Eagle 1 reported a person about 100 feet from the vehicle in the woods that wasn't moving.
Deputies approached and discovered Michael Brown's body. They say it appeared Brown had tied jumper cables to a tree, then around his neck in order to hang himself. However, investigators say there was a handgun under the man's feet and said it's possible Brown shot himself, but they won't know until after the autopsy is performed on Sunday.
“This thing started off as an attempted homicide and we are looking at it as such, but there is also the suicide investigation,” said Lt. Bobby Caruthers, Sumter County Sheriff's Office.
