Deputies say they did not ID themselves before shooting armed man

  • Deputies said Andrew Scott, 26, pointed the gun at them during their search. One of the deputies then opened fire, killing Scott.
  • Jonathon Brown is accused of trying to kill someone with a cinder block.
By Natalie Tolomeo and Dave D'Marko, Team Coverage
Last Updated: Monday, July 16, 2012, 6:34 PM
LEESBURG -- 

We're learning new information about a deputy-involved shooting that killed a 26-year-old Leesburg man Sunday.

Lake County Sheriff's Lt. John Herrell said deputies never identified themselves when they knocked on Andrew Scott's apartment, thinking he was an attempted homicide suspect. Herrell said the deputies did not identify themselves as law enforcement because they believed Scott to be armed and dangerous. However, in reality, they said he was just a man opening the door at 1:30 a.m. with a gun in his hands.

Scott was shot several times when he opened the door armed.

“When you put yourselves in the deputies' shoes, they are going to the apartment where they believe that person is at, they were there to pick up a dangerous individual who was possibly armed, the next they know the door opens and they are looking at the barrel of a gun," Lt. Herrell said.

Monday morning, workers at the apartment complex removed the carpeting, couch and other items from the apartment where Scott died. Workers also replaced and painted the unit's front door after deputies shot through it Sunday morning.

Investigators with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement were at the Blueberry Hill II complex speaking with neighbors and staff from the leasing office.

“With someone banging on your door at 1:30 at night, I could understand him having the gun to his side because he was scared. I don't think he had any intention to use it,” friend and neighbor LeMac Blount said. "If they would have announced themselves he probably would have put the gun up immediately.”

Herrell said that the deputy who pulled the trigger multiple times has been on placed administrative leave pending results of a preliminary investigation. Herrell said it's the office's standard operating procedure.

Herrell could not release the identity or any other information about the deputy who shot Scott.

Deputies were at his home because they said they believed Scott's neighbor was in the apartment.

The suspect, Jonathan Brown, was actually in an adjacent apartment. He was later arrested, accused of trying to kill someone with a cinder block.

According to the arrest affidavit, Brown and 25-year-old Anthony Rodriguez were seen fighting with another man in the 700 block of Marietta Street around midnight.

Brown broke away from the fight, grabbing a cinder block from the victim's front yard. Police said he held it chest high and the victim believed he was
going to hit him on the head.

A witness saw what was going on and called out to the victim, asking if he needed help. Police said Brown dropped the cinder block and then fled the area. A short while later, a deputy spotted Brown on a motorcycle, but he was able to elude police.

Deputies discovered Brown's motorcycle at the apartment complex off County Road 44. They knocked on an apartment door several times where the motorcycle was parked.

Deputies said Scott answered the door armed with a gun. One of the deputies then opened fire, killing Scott.

Drugs and other paraphernalia were found during a search of Scott's apartment. The victim has a criminal history of drug-related arrests, the sheriff's office said. Neighbors told News 13 Scott lived with his girlfriend and was a delivery driver at Hungry Howie's.

Brown, 31, was located in an adjacent apartment building and charged with attempted homicide.

Rodriguez was arrested and charged with felony battery.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating this shooting and working with the Lake County Sheriff's Office.

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