A gunman who shot at police as they arrived to arrest him for suspicion of robbing a casino was found shot to death inside an Oakland Park home cops had surrounded for most of Monday afternoon and night.
The unidentified man was suspected of robbing the Seminole Coconut Creek Casino of thousands of dollars last month, and when police showed up to arrest him yesterday, he wasn't about to go quietly.
With a Broward Sheriff’s helicopter scanning the scene from above, SWAT teams surrounded the home on the 5000 block of NE 2nd Terrace shortly before 5 p.m. yesterday.
Three people came storming out of the house, facing down police gun barrels and narrowly escaping the gunfire of the fourth person still inside, and that's when the marathon standoff began.
The two men and a woman were held and questioned for several hours before bring released. One of them who claimed he was the renter of the house said the man who fired at police was an acquaintance named Dominic - he doesn't know his last name - who came to him Friday looking for a place to stay for a few days.
As the hours ticked by, tensions began to run higher and SWAT teams and other tactical units began sending secret cameras into the house to look around.
Finally, after several hours, the standoff ended.
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"[Officers] tried to make contact with the subject inside,” Broward Sheriff Spokeswoman Dani Moschella said. “They used gas to try to flush him out. They used electronic devices to try to locate him. Around 9:30 tonight, they did locate a male subject inside deceased."
Police haven't released the name of the man found inside, and won't until next of kin are notified and until they make certain he is who they think he is.
Seminole tribe spokesperson Gary Bitner said cameras all over the casino captured the man who police believe robbed them. After the images were released last week, someone called in to Crimestoppers to identifying the gunman.
Police officials said they're relieved no law enforcement officers were injured, and they‘re pleased the Crimestopper system of rewards to anonymous tipsters worked so well.
But the earlier gunfire rattled the quiet neighborhood.
Jane Delisle "It sounded like he was shooting at the police and it was directly across from my house and my window," said neighbor Jane Delisle. "I was like, 'Come on mom, we gotta run down the hallway.' The next thing I know the police were banging on our door to get us out of there.”
