POLK COUNTY, Fla. — A man authorities said was a known, wanted suspect is dead after an altercation with law enforcement escalated Thursday night.
The Polk County Sheriff's Office said deputies were alerted that the suspect, 45-year-old Matthew Bruce Coleman, was in the area of West Socrum Loop Road in Lakeland around 7 p.m.
Officials said Coleman was a suspect in multiple crimes and was considered to be armed and dangerous. He also had an active warrant.
Several witnesses told deputies that Coleman was possibly in a backyard shed when they arrived. When the deputies announced their presence, they were immediately shot at from the shed.
Deputies said they established a perimeter and communications with Coleman, but he refused to surrender. He eventually stopped communicating completely.
PCSO said a chemical agent was thrown into the shed, and when deputies finally went in, they found Coleman dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
They added that he had two loaded handguns in the shed with him, along with several spent shell casings.
No one else was injured during the incident.
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