CLERMONT, Fla. — A man and woman are dead after a police standoff inside a Clermont apartment complex.
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THURSDAY, FEB.6, 2025
Update 3:55 p.m.
On Thursday, the Clermont Police Department released the names of the suspect and victim and bodycam footage of the apartment standoff that took place at the Cottonwood Apartment complex on 1700 Hooks Street Wednesday afternoon.
The apparent murder-suicide, according to CPD, took place shortly after 3:24 p.m. when officers saw Sarah Dale in the entryway of the apartment with a gunshot wound.
Officers, during their search, forced open a door and were immediately met with gunfire.
After returning fire at the suspect, officers escaped the apartment to reevaluate.
Attempts were made to communicate with the suspect, but they were unsuccessful.
Mid-Florida Tactical Team officers were able to reach the female, who was confirmed deceased, and the shooter, 28-year-old Christian Steeler Filson, dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Filson was arrested for aggravated battery and reckless endangerment by discharging a firearm in a 2017 Tennessee incident.
He has no known criminal involvement in Florida.
Below is the bodycam footage from CPD (*Graphic video warning*):
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 5, 2025
Update 8:55 p.m.:
The Clermont Police said the man had killed himself in the apartment.
Police said the standoff ended at 8:06 p.m.
Officials said residents had been cleared to go back inside the building.
There has been no identifying information on the victim or the suspect.
Police said they were a couple that lived there.
Original Story:
CPD responded to the apartments at approximately 3:42 p.m. Wednesday, following a call from a passerby who stated they saw a woman running and screaming from a male subject.
When officers arrived, they did not locate the victim at first, but noticed blood near an apartment door.
Officers entered the apartment, where they found the victim in need of medical attention from a gunshot wound.
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As the officers were assessing the victim, they were immediately met with gunfire.
After a brief back-and-forth, the suspect retreated further into the apartment, while officers retreated to a safe position as more officers responded to the scene.
The apartment area was secured and all surrounding apartments were safely evacuated.
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According to the CPD, “We do believe that the adult female victim has expired due to the nature of the wounds observed by the officers.”
At this time, police have not had any successful communication with the suspect.
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