03-04-2009, 11:08 PM
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/ ... 4004.story (http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/sfl-bn-0304pbso-shooting,0,6124004.story)
WEST DELRAY - A suicidal resident at Kings Point retirement community got into a shootout with deputies who showed up shortly before 11:30 p.m. Tuesday to try to prevent the man from killing himself, the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office said.
"Put it down! Put it down! Put it down!" deputies screamed outside the condo at 760 Normandy P.
But Dallas Adkins, Jr., 59, fired his rifle at them and the bullet hit a ballistic SHIELD, investigators said. The two deputies shot back several times. Adkins was rushed to Delray Medical Center in critical condition but is expected to live, the Sheriff's Office said. The deputies, whose identities were not released Wednesday, were placed on paid leave, which is standard after a law enforcement shooting.
Before the shootout, someone called 911 to report that Adkins was suicidal, and armed.
It is unclear where Adkins shot from, deputies said. The window next to his door was blown out.
Neighbors described him as a gentleman loner who helped ladies with their grocery bags and called men "Sir." Adkins rented a one-bedroom condominium at Kings Point for about a year and worked at a nearby Publix grocery store. In Colorado, where he grew up, Adkins volunteered for about 20 years as a firefighter in Golden, a suburb of Denver. He gave it up about 10 years ago, officials there said.
The license plate on his Toyota SUV said he was a Vietnam Veteran. Efforts to confirm that with the U.S. Military were not immediately successful Wednesday.
Fran Buckler, who lives across from Adkins, said that when the gunfire woke her up, she looked outside and saw deputies flooding the second floor walkway. "We thought it was a drug raid," she said.
Buckler's husband, Jim Buckler, the Normandy P Association Board President, said Adkins didn't list any relatives on his application and his lease is up at the end of the month.
Adkins moved out of Colorado in 2006 after a divorce and some run-ins with the law.
He pleaded guilty to two charges of driving under the influence and illegal possession of a weapon, according to Jefferson County Court records. He was sentenced to six months of probation, 10 days of house arrest, 60 hours of community service and a $317 fine, records show.
Nathan Zumoff, 90, ran into Adkins a few days ago and said he was complaining about having his hours cut at work and had a hard time paying the rent. Publix spokeswoman Kim Jaeger declined comment.
Some neighbors slept through the ruckus and were surprised to learn of the shooting Wednesday morning.
"This is a quiet neighborhood, dead quiet and out of a clear blue sky it's boom, boom, boom," Sherman Menter, 83, said. "He shot at the police. You don't do that."
Adkins, who remained in the hospital Wednesday, will be charged with two counts of attempted murder of a law enforcement officer with a weapon. Staff Researchers Barbara Hijek, Gail Bulfin, and Gilbert Medina contributed to this report.
Jerome Burdi can be reached at jburdi@SunSentinel.com or 561-243-6531.
WEST DELRAY - A suicidal resident at Kings Point retirement community got into a shootout with deputies who showed up shortly before 11:30 p.m. Tuesday to try to prevent the man from killing himself, the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office said.
"Put it down! Put it down! Put it down!" deputies screamed outside the condo at 760 Normandy P.
But Dallas Adkins, Jr., 59, fired his rifle at them and the bullet hit a ballistic SHIELD, investigators said. The two deputies shot back several times. Adkins was rushed to Delray Medical Center in critical condition but is expected to live, the Sheriff's Office said. The deputies, whose identities were not released Wednesday, were placed on paid leave, which is standard after a law enforcement shooting.
Before the shootout, someone called 911 to report that Adkins was suicidal, and armed.
It is unclear where Adkins shot from, deputies said. The window next to his door was blown out.
Neighbors described him as a gentleman loner who helped ladies with their grocery bags and called men "Sir." Adkins rented a one-bedroom condominium at Kings Point for about a year and worked at a nearby Publix grocery store. In Colorado, where he grew up, Adkins volunteered for about 20 years as a firefighter in Golden, a suburb of Denver. He gave it up about 10 years ago, officials there said.
The license plate on his Toyota SUV said he was a Vietnam Veteran. Efforts to confirm that with the U.S. Military were not immediately successful Wednesday.
Fran Buckler, who lives across from Adkins, said that when the gunfire woke her up, she looked outside and saw deputies flooding the second floor walkway. "We thought it was a drug raid," she said.
Buckler's husband, Jim Buckler, the Normandy P Association Board President, said Adkins didn't list any relatives on his application and his lease is up at the end of the month.
Adkins moved out of Colorado in 2006 after a divorce and some run-ins with the law.
He pleaded guilty to two charges of driving under the influence and illegal possession of a weapon, according to Jefferson County Court records. He was sentenced to six months of probation, 10 days of house arrest, 60 hours of community service and a $317 fine, records show.
Nathan Zumoff, 90, ran into Adkins a few days ago and said he was complaining about having his hours cut at work and had a hard time paying the rent. Publix spokeswoman Kim Jaeger declined comment.
Some neighbors slept through the ruckus and were surprised to learn of the shooting Wednesday morning.
"This is a quiet neighborhood, dead quiet and out of a clear blue sky it's boom, boom, boom," Sherman Menter, 83, said. "He shot at the police. You don't do that."
Adkins, who remained in the hospital Wednesday, will be charged with two counts of attempted murder of a law enforcement officer with a weapon. Staff Researchers Barbara Hijek, Gail Bulfin, and Gilbert Medina contributed to this report.
Jerome Burdi can be reached at jburdi@SunSentinel.com or 561-243-6531.