OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. — A man is in custody after a tense, 12-hour standoff in a Kissimmee-area neighborhood early Sunday, following reports of a gunshot and a criminal mischief complaint, according to the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies were initially called to the area of Biscayne Road and Seville Drive around 1:15 a.m. for a criminal mischief report. While investigating, deputies said they heard a single gunshot nearby. They followed the sound to 5026 Biscayne Road, a mobile home where they spotted a man attempting to hide in the nearby woods.
When deputies tried to make contact, the man — later identified as 33-year-old Dalton Sears — fled and crawled underneath the mobile home, refusing to come out. Deputies said drugs and several firearms were discovered in the area during the search.
A perimeter was set up around the residence, and the occupants of the mobile home were safely evacuated as the standoff continued through the morning and into the afternoon.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, deputies used gas and pepper ball rounds in an effort to get Sears to surrender. Just before 3 p.m., more than 12 hours after the initial call, Sears was taken into custody without further incident.
Sears was arrested on charges including possession of drugs, resisting with violence, and battery on a law enforcement officer. He was transported to the Osceola County Jail.
No injuries to residents or deputies were reported. The investigation remains ongoing.
