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Florida officers injured in gunfight with man who said he was 'Jesus'

BARTOW, Fla. (WFLA) — Two law enforcement officers were shot in Polk
County Friday during a gunfight with a suspect who thought he was "Jesus
and God," according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office.

Sheriff Grady Judd said it all started Friday morning when 34-year-old
Wayne Volz got into an argument with his parents at their home in Fort
Meade and pistol whipped his mother.

Authorities said Volz knocked his father to the ground as he ran to help
and asked him, "Do you want to die today?"

"He was out of control," Judd said. "He held them hostage; he
pistol-whipped mom; he put a gun between his father’s eyes and told him
he needed to beg for his life."

According to investigators, Volz told his parents that he was "Jesus and
God," and that his mother was "the devil." He also took their cell
phones to prevent them from contacting anyone.

But when Volz's father said he needed to go to work at Lowes in Bartow,
Volz elected to come with him, the sheriff's office said. His father
went inside the hardware store and was hidden by his coworkers after
telling them what had happened.

Bartow police received a 911 call from Volz's father and responded to
the scene. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office was also called to assist
with a drone, but Judd said they had little information going into the
crime scene.

"We're all running blind," Judd said.

The drone operator eventually spotted Volz walking past, but didn't see
that he had a gun, the sheriff explained. She yelled for him to stop,
and Volz ran around the building, where he had a confrontation with Polk
Deputy Edwin Alexander.

A Banker's Brew Coffee Shop is inside the crime scene. The owner of the
shop shared some of what his employees experienced.

"On the north side of the building, a little bit later, the guy came
running through and they were yelling at him I guess to stop and as he
was running, he had a weapon in his hand, looked like he was trying to
load it," said Mike McMillan. "From there our staff was smart enough to
hide in the restroom. By the time they started to get into the bathroom
they heard about 10-15 to 20 shots."

Judd said Volz shot Deputy Alexander's car seven to eight times. A
bullet also struck Deputy Alexander in the forearm.

Volz was engaged by two Bartow officers, Vincent Agostino and Mark Sills
Jr., and another Polk County deputy as he started back around the
building. That's when Judd said there was a barrage of gunfire.

"There were a lot of shots fired. It was gunfight," Judd said. "And we
shot him - a lot. ... He asked to be shot and killed, and we obliged him."

Officer Sills was shot in the chest but was wearing a vest that Judd
said likely saved his life.

Volz was rushed to the hospital but ultimately died from his injuries.
The sheriff said Volz had a criminal history and was known to be a "drug addict."

Judd and Bartow Police Chief Stephen Walker said both of their team
members were taken to hospitals to be checked out but appeared to be in
good spirits after the incident. Deputy Alexander joked that he would be "taking a vacation," Judd said.

Both are expected to make a full recovery.

The sheriff's office plans to investigate further, and the investigation
will soon be turned over to the State Attorney's Office.

<https://www.newsnationnow.com/us-news/southeast/bartow-florida-officer-i nvolved-shooting/>

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