A barricaded armed man holding his 6-year-old daughter hostage for nearly a day inside a Lakeland, Fla., home died by suicide on Sunday after a tense police standoff, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office.
PCSO said 39-year-old Gary Cauley held his daughter Rylan hostage in the home on Dartmouth Road after an argument with his estranged wife, Amie, on Saturday.
In a press conference, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said the man released his daughter safely to authorities Sunday afternoon.
Cauley told Rylan not to be afraid. He then told his daughter he was going to kill himself, Judd said.
Judd said Rylan walked out and was safely extracted. Authorities then began negotiating with Cauley in attempts to get him to exit the home.
Police attempted to force Cauley out with chemical agents. Minutes later, Cauley shot himself and he died immediately, Judd said.
Judd said Cauley "played games" and "lied to us" since the beginning of the standoff as he consistently kept saying he would release his daughter and end the situation.
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According Judd, the incident began when Cauley showed up at his estranged wife's house at about 4 a.m. on Saturday. The pair then argued for hours over "domestic issues."
"At about 1:10 p.m., Gary discovered that Amie had been planning to go to the beach with a man he does not like. He armed himself with a handgun, threatened to kill himself, and refused to let his daughter go with Amie," the Polk County Sheriff's Office said in a statement.
Cauley made no threats to harm Rylan and did not make additional threats to kill himself, PCSO said.
A statement from police on Saturday said that Rylan could be "heard in the background of the phone laughing, and playing. "
"We're going to do everything in our power to resolve this peacefully and keep this 6-year-old safe. We are getting zero indication from Gary that he is threatening any violence toward her," Judd previously said.
The Lakeland Police Department, along with numerous other agencies, helped assist PCSO.
"Hoping this ends PEACEFULLY and soon. Proud to assist our brothers and sisters," LPD wrote on Twitter.
