A baby pornography suspect was shot and killed Wednesday in a confrontation with Seminole County deputies in Longwood, in line with Sheriff Dennis Lemma.
Gary Wayne Guckenberger, a 68-year-old retired firefighter, was killed after he drew a revolver on deputies after they tried to arrest him outdoors his residence on Hatfield Court docket round 3:30 p.m., Lemma mentioned at a information convention later that day.
“You speak about a transparent shot, there’s nothing clearer than this,” the sheriff mentioned. “Gary Guckenberger was presenting an actual and imminent risk to the deputies that had been right here on scene. They used nice endurance and discretion.”
The sheriff’s workplace had beforehand obtained a tip that Guckenberger was accessing cell units containing baby pornography. Deputies carried out a search warrant at his residence Sept. 9 and seized six digital units, in line with Lemma.
Whereas the examination of the units remains to be ongoing, Lemma mentioned deputies found over 100 sexually specific movies involving youngsters from the ages of three to 9 years previous, which he described as “essentially the most horrific examples of kid pornography that someone might have.” Greater than 200 nonetheless images depicting the identical kind of content material had been additionally on discovered.
The sheriff’s workplace obtained an arrest warrant for Guckenberger, however opted to surveil him from outdoors his residence earlier than making the arrest since deputies had noticed whereas executing the search warrant that he had a number of weapons inside the house, in line with Lemma.
Whereas deputies had been surveilling the house Wednesday afternoon, Guckenberger got here outdoors and walked into the center of his driveway, Lemma mentioned. Deputies determined it was an excellent alternative to arrest him with out incident — however Guckenberger pulled a revolver on them.
The sheriff mentioned a deputy ordered him to drop the weapon and mentioned “don’t do it,” however Guckenberger replied “I’ve to,” which Lemma believes “leads into the ideology of suicide by cop.” Lemma mentioned the deputy then fired a minimum of two pictures, putting Guckenberger.
“They tried to speak him out of really doing this,” Lemma mentioned. “And naturally, I’m satisfied that his thoughts was made up.”
Lemma mentioned the sheriff’s workplace doesn’t know of any youngsters which have been victimized by Guckenberger. However he mentioned Guckenberger, on a minimum of one event, communicated with a girl about partaking in sexual exercise together with her baby. The sheriff’s workplace doesn’t at present consider that ever occurred, however Lemma mentioned it indicated Guckenberger “clearly was taking this to the following stage.”
The sheriff’s workplace is talking with neighbors about Guckenberger and is asking anybody in the neighborhood who has had contact with him to succeed in out to the company if any interactions they’d with him now appear suspicious in hindsight.
“We have now a duty as a society and as a career to guard our most weak,” Lemma mentioned. “Our kids, who’re the victims of those heinous crimes, are on the high of that record.”
As per customary process, the Florida Division of Legislation Enforcement will examine the incident and the deputy concerned has been positioned on administrative depart pending the result of the investigation, in line with a information launch from the sheriff’s workplace.