Florida man holds parents hostage for hours, killed in shootout
The man allegedly pistol-whipped his mother and threatened to shoot his father in the head, authorities said.
A Florida man who held his parents hostage for several hours Friday is dead following a shootout with law enforcement that left one deputy and one police officer wounded, officials said.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said during a news conference Friday evening that the shootout with 34-year-old Wayne Volz occurred at a Bartow shopping center. The area is about 60 miles southwest of Orlando.
“We shot him enough, we shot him a lot,” Judd said. “We stopped the threat.”
Earlier Friday, Volz got into an argument with his parents at their Fort Meade home, officials said. Volz eventually pistol-whipped his mother and threatened to shoot his father in the head, authorities said.
After holding his parents for several hours, Volz agreed to drive his father to work at a Bartow hardware store. Investigators said the father called 911 after entering the store, leading to a response from Bartow police and the sheriff's office.
During a search of the area, a deputy confronted Volz and ended up getting shot in the forearm, officials said. When additional deputies and officers caught up with Volz, a gunfight ensued. A Bartow officer was shot in the chest, though his body armor prevented serious injury.
Volz was shot multiple times, officials said. He was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The deputy and the officer were also hospitalized and expected to make a complete recovery.
All of the officers involved in the shooting will be placed on administrative leave while the shooting is investigated.
