Authorities Identify Palm Bay Armed Standoff Suspect
By Space Coast Daily // April 8, 2013
Two Children Recovered Safely
BREVARD COUNTY • PALM BAY, FLORIDA – Palm Bay Police say a father of two faces felony charges for shooting into a dwelling and is being sent for mental evaluation under Florida’s Baker Act following a seven-hour standoff that began early Sunday morning.
Palm Bay Public Information Officer Yvonne Martinez said Earl Stanton of Palm Bay, 41, was taken into custody just before noon Sunday.
Martinez said Stanton’s two children, ages 14 and 8, were safely recovered and are currently being cared for by a family friend pending further action by the Department of Children and Family Services.
At about 4:35 a.m. emergency dispatchers received a 9-1-1 call from a neighbor in the area of the 1700 block of Joshua Drive in the Vista Oaks community on the city’s east side.
Martinez said the caller reported seeing her neighbor point a rifle out his upstairs window.
She said the neighbor reported hearing the suspect yelling obscenities and then fire gunshots out the window.
The caller also reported the male had two children living in the home with him.
When patrol officers arrived repeated attempts to contact the suspect were ignored.
The SWAT team and crisis negotiators responded to the scene and neighbors in the immediate vicinity were advised to stay inside their homes.
After more than seven hours, the suspect came out of the residence and surrendered to police without incident.
His motives were unclear and the incident remains under investigation.
