Around 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, August 22nd, we received information that a known wanted suspect, 45-year-old Matthew Bruce Coleman, was in the area of West Socrum Loop Road in Lakeland. In addition to his active warrant, he is well-known to law enforcement as a suspect in other crimes, and is considered to be armed and dangerous. The U.S. Marshals Service has been assisting PCSO in looking for him. The tip we received last night was that he was armed and threatening to injure any law enforcement officers who came looking for him.
When deputies arrived at the location, several witnesses reported that Coleman was possibly in a backyard shed. The deputies announced their presence, and were immediately confronted with several gunshots in their direction, coming out of the shed. Nobody was injured. Deputies established a perimeter and communications with Coleman, who repeatedly refused to surrender. The PCSO SWAT and Crisis Negotiations teams responded to the scene but eventually he ceased all communication with law enforcement. A chemical agent was introduced into the shed, after which time deputies made entry and found Coleman deceased from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. He had two loaded handguns in the shed with him, along with several spent shell casings.
