LAKELAND, Fla. — Polk County deputies have safely located the family of a man who they say shot at them Thursday night.
Sheriff Grady Judd said Jennifer Manning called her mother in Pinellas County to say she was being beaten up by her husband. The mother called the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office who informed Polk County authorities.
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Polk County deputies responded around 7:30 p.m. to the domestic violence incident at a mobile home off of Skyview Drive in Lakeland.
Sheriff Judd said the man in the home, identified as 43-year-old Michael Manning, told deputies he would not be going back to jail, refused to leave and fired at the deputies at least five times with a shotgun, missing them by just inches.
The last shot deputies heard was more of a muffled shot and then they heard a thump on the floor. SWAT officers arrived and surrounded the home.
The Sheriff's Office pinged 44-year-old Jennifer Manning's phone which showed the phone was in the area of the mobile home. At that point, deputies believed they had the suspect and Jennifer and her 14-year-old son in the house.
Deputies rescued a 13-year-old child from the front yard.
Sheriff Grady Judd said deputies tried to negotiate with the suspect, but there was no response. Eventually, deputies entered the mobile home and found him dead inside from a self-inflicted gunshot to the head.
Deputies say Jennifer and her son were missing but were safely located elsewhere Friday morning.
"The shots went on either side of one of the deputies, narrowly missing both deputies. It was only by the Grace of God that these deputies were not hurt. We are very happy that our deputies are safe, and Jennifer and (son) are also safe," said Sheriff Judd.
