ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — A 17-year-old called one of the "worst of the worst" violent offenders in Orange County is being held in jail on no bond following a four-hour standoff with law enforcement on Thursday.
The Sheriff's Office said Shannon Norman was wanted on seven warrants, including an attempted murder from three months ago and armed burglaries, including a violent home invasion that took place Wednesday night.
The standoff began after a neighbor called authorities to complain about a car without tires along Messina Avenue. Authorities said they found out the car was stolen during a home invasion in Orange County Wednesday night and that Norman might have been involved.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement's violent crime unit was already undercover staking out the teenager at a Richmond Heights home in Orlando, when city officers showed up to investigate the stolen car.
Heavily-armed officers surrounded the house and used a bullhorn and phones to try to convince Norman to surrender, but he refused.
They called in his father, his mother and his godmother to try to coax him out, but he refused.
The SWAT team was called in and there was no more negotiation.
"I thought someone was getting shot," said neighbor Sassy Colonel.
But it was the SWAT team shooting tear gas into all 10 windows of the house that got Norman out.
Just after 2:30 p.m., Norman crawled from the front door of the house. SWAT members handcuffed him and put him into one of their armored vehicles.
A few minutes later a SWAT member shot gas canisters into the house, and a small robotic vehicle was then seen entering through the front door.
At 2:45 p.m. several SWAT team members entered the house, and a short time later the standoff appeared to be over.
Deputies said Norman complained that he was hurt, but he was taken straight to jail.
Sheriff Jerry Demings said Norman is young, but he's one of the worst of the worst violent offenders.
"He's just 17. That's the sad part about this," said Sheriff Jerry Demings. "In the last few weeks, we have had a number of teens you've seen get arrested, and all are charged with violent offenses."
"He's wanted on multiple offenses and so our fugitive task force wanted him for a reason. We wanted to try to get him off the streets to stop the madness that he was involved with," said Demings.
One SWAT officer was taken to the hospital for heat exhaustion.
The officers found no weapons when they searched the house.
Demings said Norman wasn't involved in the madness alone. He said investigators know who else was involved and are going after them.
No one was injured during the standoff.
WFTV
