BREAKING CRIME NEWS: Armed ex-con shot dead near DeLand by Lake County Sheriff's deputies

William Paul HillCourtesy photo / William Paul Hill, who was shot and killed Sunday by Lake County deputies near DeLand, served 14 months in prison for dealing cocaine before his release in May 2003, as shown in his Florida Deparment of Corrections mugshot.

DELAND -- A 45-year-old ex-con wanted on suspicion of domestic battery with his wife was shot and killed this afternoon by Lake County Sheriff's deputies after emerging from a home near DeLand with a handgun he pulled out from behind.

William Paul Hill continued walking toward the deputies despite their demand that he drop the weapon and they opened fire on him. The gunman's wife had told deputies the day before that he went on a rampage while high on drugs, destroying furniture and making it clear he was not going back to prison. Deputies found seven long guns and 450 rounds of ammunition there, but learned from the battered spouse that two handguns were missing.

"They ordered him to show his hands at which time he reached back and had the gun out," Lake County Sheriff's Lt. John Herrell told NSBNews.net. "The deputies were in fear for their lives and shots were fired and he fell."

Herrell said he couldn't comment how many of the five deputies fired their guns

of if the gunman, identified as William Paul Hill, had gotten off any rounds in the 4:22 p.m. incident. Those questions will have to be answered by FDLE, he said, referring to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

The deadly altercation occurred at 33146 Forest Drive, which is listed as a DeLand postal address, but is actually located inside unincorporated Lake County.

A 3 p.m. police bulletin was issued by Lake County authorities to law enforcement in Volusia to be on the lookout for a man in a pick-up truck possibly heading into DeLand. DeLand police and Volusia County Sheriff's deputies answered the alert, but the suspect driver headed back into Lake County where the fatal shooting occurred.

The Volusia Sheriff's Air One helicopter also was called out during the initial bulletin. At one point, the gunman was spotted in DeLand by VCSO deputies and fled into Lake County on C.R. 42 where Lake deputies picked up the pursuit. He abanoned his vehicle and ran into the woods where he lived and barged into a neighbor's home. She ran out and alerted deputis, while her infant and her mother were still inside, Herrell said.

The gunman saw the deputies and then walked outside leading to the fatal confrontation. He was pronounced dead a short time later after transport to the hospital.