At approximately 11:47 a.m. this morning, February 7, 2019, Citrus County Sheriff’s Office Tactical Impact Unit (TIU) detectives were at a home in Inverness for a drug investigation. While transporting a suspect to the jail, detectives noticed a passing vehicle, with an occupant believed to have an outstanding warrant.
A marked patrol unit began to follow the vehicle in an attempt to conduct a traffic stop. After the vehicle pulled over, a CCSO deputy and two TIU detectives approached the vehicle. During their investigation, an unidentified suspect within the vehicle began to resist commands.
A struggle ensued between the unidentified suspect and the deputy. Preliminary investigation indicates that during the struggle, the unidentified suspect gained control of the deputy’s taser and began to tase both the uniformed deputy and one of the assisting detectives.
“Citrus County Sheriff’s Office deputies and detectives are trained to respond appropriately to any threat they come in contact with. Today, we are thankful our own will be able to go home to their families due to their training and actions,” said Sheriff Prendergast. “The willingness of this suspect to resort to physical violence during our contact is unsettling. An aggravated battery on three law enforcement officers like this could have easily ended the life of one of our deputies or that of the suspect.”
As with any deputy-involved shooting, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement is on scene and investigating this case. Following agency policy, the deputy involved in the shooting has been placed on administrative leave with pay, pending the outcome of the preliminary FDLE investigation.
The Sheriff’s Office will release additional details as they become available.
UPDATE: On Thursday night, the CCSO said the suspect in this case has been identified as 41-year-old Jeremy Scott Jennings, who is wanted out of Vermont for assault.
Jennings is a listed sex offender out of New York, the Sheriff’s Office said.