In a harrowing incident in Seminole, Florida, a woman survived being shot 11 times during a domestic dispute, managing to escape to a neighbor's house for help. Authorities found the suspected shooter, 65-year-old Wayne Lovell Dew, deceased inside the home from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The incident unfolded around 1 a.m. on a Sunday. The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office responded to a 911 call from the neighbor. Chief Deputy Paul Halle expressed astonishment at the victim's resilience, highlighting her ability to seek help despite her severe injuries. She suffered two gunshot wounds to the head and multiple others to her torso and thigh. She was immediately transported to a hospital and is expected to recover.
The shooting took place inside a residence on North Street. (FOX13 Tampa WTVT)
Knowing the suspect was still inside the home and potentially armed with rifles and pistols, law enforcement initiated negotiations. These attempts to persuade Dew to surrender lasted for approximately seven hours.
The victim is expected to survive despite her numerous injuries. (FOX13 Tampa WTVT)
SWAT entered the home after negotiations failed. (FOX13 Tampa WTVT)
When negotiations proved unsuccessful, a SWAT team employed specialized equipment and tactics to enter the residence. Inside, they discovered Dew with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Dew was found deceased inside the home. (FOX13 Tampa WTVT)
A local resident, Kayla McClure, described the situation as terrifying, emphasizing the unexpected nature of such an event occurring in her neighborhood.
Authorities revealed Dew had a prior misdemeanor larceny charge and a felony domestic violence incident from 2016 involving the same victim, whom he strangled. Further details are pending release.
