Man who shot Eustis police captain killed during standoff

EUSTIS, Fla. — Officials said the man accused of shooting a Eustis police captain Thursday afternoon died when law enforcement officers shot him during a standoff.

The Marion County Sheriff’s Office’s helicopter pilot helped the Eustis Police Department find Jayson Arron Colvin, 38, who was hiding beneath a canoe along a lake, Lake County Sheriff Peyton Grinnell said.

Grinnell said once the pilot found Colvin, a SWAT team caught up with him.

The pilot noticed Colvin was armed with a gun while he fled into woods, Grinnell said.

Read: Deputies: Suspect in internet casino robbery found dead in river

Grinnell said at one point, the SWAT team was about 7 to 10 yards from Colvin and only the pilot was able to see Colvin.

“We knew we were dealing with an individual that obviously had already shot one law enforcement officer," Grinnell said. “It was a scary moment when my SWAT team was literally 7 yards away from this guy and they couldn’t see him.”

Colvin died during a standoff with police, Grinnell said.

“He failed to comply with the SWAT team’s commands and gunfire was exchanged,” Grinnell said. “He is now deceased.”

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The sheriff said several deputies who opened fire are now on paid administrative leave while the Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigates the shooting.

Investigators said the manhunt began after gunfire was reported at about 12:15 p.m. in the parking lot of a Winn-Dixie store at State Road 19 and County Road 44.

Police said Eustis police Capt. Gary Winheim confronted Colvin and was shot on County Road 44 near Trout Lake Nature Center.

Officials said Winheim, who has been with the agency for more than 10 years, was flown to Orlando Regional Medical Center, where he is in stable condition.

Watch officials give an update on the manhunt below:

Raw video: Law enforcement officials: man accused of shooting police captain shot, killed Law enforcement officials give an update on the man who was accused of shooting a Eustis police captain.

Eustis police Chief Gary Calhoun said Winheim was shot behind his left ear, with the bullet traveling down his neck before lodging into his back.

Calhoun said that if the bullet had hit Winheim a millimeter away, his injuries could have been more severe.

Winheim is expected to be released from the hospital Friday after doctors were able to successfully remove the bullet from his back.

Read: Bullet successfully removed from Eustis police captain’s back after shooting

The Lake County sheriff said more than 500 law enforcement officers assisted in Thursday’s manhunt.

Officials said Colvin was armed with a shotgun and wearing a “Jason” mask when he robbed a Shell gas station near the Winn-Dixie at about 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. They said he fled from the store with cash in the clerk’s car.

Winheim was involved in a previous shooting in June 2018 at a Eustis AutoZone store during which a 21-year-old man was killed.

VIDEO: Massive manhunt underway after Eustis police captain shot A manhunt is underway for the man who police said shot a Eustis police captain Thursday afternoon.

See maps of the three scenes below:

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