Three deputies placed on leave following officer-involved shooting death

NWF Daily News, Florida/March 11, 2013

Navarre - Investigators have released some details on Saturday's officer-involved shooting that resulted in the death of a 55-year-old man.

Deputies were at the Avenida De Galvez home of Jeffrey Allen Wright at about 9:30 p.m. Friday. They were attempting to serve a felony arrest warrant for several counts of counterfeiting, according to a Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office press release.

Wright has claimed in the past that he is a "sovereign citizen" and not subject to law enforcement, the release states, prompting the decision to send "numerous deputies" to serve the warrant.

Wright hid what officials believe was an automatic weapon behind his back and barricaded himself inside the second floor of his home, the release states. After barricading himself, Wright fired off one shot.

Wright was given several commands to come out unarmed but continually told officials to "come and get me," according to the release. SWAT team members deployed gas into the second story of the garage.

Wright began to break out the windows of his home using his handgun, the release states.

During the final moments of the four-hour standoff, SWAT members with the Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office entered the stairwell, according to the release.

Wright, who was sitting at the top, raised his pistol and pointed it directly down at the SWAT members, the release states. At that time, three SWAT members simultaneously shot at Wright.

Wright was pronounced dead at the scene.

The three deputies involved were Sgt. Nathan Hall, Deputy Brian Miller and Detective Jerry Nash. All three have been placed on paid administrative leave while the Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigates the shooting.

During the standoff, Wright made several threats to law enforcement officials. He said, according to the release, that deputies were not to come up or they would "not come back down," and if deputies "ever want to see your families again, back down."

During the standoff, Wright said that he was "would not be a servant of the king" because he was not a citizen of this country.

Wright's offense report states that he attempted five times to pay for citations and criminal charges issued by the Sheriff's Office using fraudulent money orders valid for $15 million.

The case is currently listed as active and is being investigated by the FDLE.

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