Shots At Sabal Trail Lead to Chase, Fatal Shooting by Police

from The Gainesville Sun

A man who authorities suspect shot at the Sabal Trail pipeline with a high-powered rifle Sunday morning was shot and killed in Citrus County following a police chase.

The shooter has not yet been identified, pending notification to his family.

Around 9 a.m. Sunday, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office received a tip of someone shooting at the controversial pipeline and its construction equipment.

Officials with Citrus County Sheriff’s Office said the accused shooter then drove down State Road 200 and into Citrus County, where CCSO deputies and Florida Highway Patrol troopers began to pursue him.

The shooter then crashed on U.S. 41 in Floral City, south of Floral Park Drive, waved his weapon and was shot and killed by CCSO deputies.

No law enforcement officers or pipeline contractors were were injured.

CCSO spokeswoman Heather Yates said, per policy and protocol, the officers involved in the shooting, who will not not named, will be placed on administrative leave while undergoing evaluations.

Florida’s Department of Law Enforcement will take over the investigation, she said.

Newly elected Citrus County Sheriff Mike Prendergast offered this statement about the incident:

[sic] “We know that the suspect was armed and extremely dangerous, and pending the examination of the evidence at the scene, we will be able to determine what other weapons he had in his possession at the time of the shooting. Fortunately, none of our Citrus County Deputies, Marion County Deputies or Florida Highway Patrol Troopers were injured as a result of this crime.”

Yates said no additional information will be released at this time.

Spectra Energy spokeswoman Andrea Grover said in an email she is aware of the events that occurred in Marion and Citrus counties early Sunday morning and no Sabal Trail workers were working at the time of the incident.

[sic] “Our top priority is for the safety of the community and our employees,” Grover said in the email. “We are cooperating with law enforcement regarding the data collection of damage to the pipe and equipment.”

Construction of the Sabal Trail pipeline has spurred mass protests in recent months by those who believe the pipeline and its contribution process are harmful to the environment and Floridian aquifer.

Earlier in the week, two protesters were arrested in Marion County after crawling into the pipeline, marking a total of 26 Sabal Trail protest arrests in Florida.

The 515-mile, $3.2 billion project is planned to be in service by summer 2017. The pipeline is expected to bring about a billion cubic feet of natural gas to the state everyday and will branch into Citrus and Martin counties for existing power plants.