Deputy Speaks Out After Allegedly Being Shot At By Manhunt Suspect

A manhunt with an armed suspect that lasted nearly four hours put a school on lockdown, Thursday afternoon.A deputy and a woman in Seminole County say the suspect took aim at them, firing shots their way. Now they're describing that experience.

Thursday, November 20th 2014, 10:55 pm

By: News 9


A manhunt with an armed suspect that lasted nearly four hours put a school on lockdown, Thursday afternoon.

A deputy and a woman in Seminole County say the suspect took aim at them, firing shots their way. Now they're describing that experience.

It all started over alleged stolen property, escalated to gunfire and then an all-out manhunt.

“I thought I was going to die right there,” Seminole County Deputy David Young said.

In front of him was a man dressed in camo with a high-powered hunting rifle in his hands. He already pulled the trigger and there was nothing stopping him from doing it again.

“I saw him take off running right after he fired the shot right behind me,” Young said.

The bullet never made contact with Young, but the two made eye contact. Young told the suspect, Roger Christopher Simpson, to get down on the ground, but he took off into the woods instead. Young crouched behind his vehicle for cover and called for help on his radio.

11/20/2014 Related Story: OHP: Suspect In Seminole County Manhunt Apprehended

“He's got me barricaded behind my unit,” he said to dispatch. “I believe he shot at me. He's in camo. I see him. He's hunkered down in the bushes.”

The two were about 100 yards apart from each other.

The whole ordeal began when a woman who lives nearby was driving to town and saw Simpson's truck parked on the side of the road and then saw Simpson. She did not want to talk about it on camera, but told News 9 Simpson stole several deer stands from her in the past.

So, when she saw him this time around, she called the sheriff's office, and that's when Simpson fired about five shots.

Simpson had an RV parked on the property that he uses for hunting purposes. Deputies took Simpson into custody around 4 p.m. Thursday. He made his way out of the woods and to a highway where he hitched a ride.

Authorities say they found him at a house in rural Seminole County after Simpson's own family turned him into deputies. More charges will likely be added to his already long rap sheet.

logo

Get The Daily Update!

Be among the first to get breaking news, weather, and general news updates from News 9 delivered right to your inbox!

More Like This

November 20th, 2014

March 22nd, 2024

March 14th, 2024

February 9th, 2024

Top Headlines

March 29th, 2024

March 29th, 2024

March 28th, 2024

March 28th, 2024