UPDATE: Orange Co. Jail suspect held 4 people hostage, including nurse, Sheriff says

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ORANGE COUNTY, FL. — 9:35 p.m.

Orange Co. Sheriff John Mina addressed the media Saturday night after a hostage situation unfolded at the Orange County Jail earlier in the evening. The following information is what Mina told reporters during a media conference that was livestreams on WFTV.com and WFTV’s Facebook page. All of the information is attriibuted to the Sheriff:

  • Two Orange County deputies arrested two people on felony marijuana charges after conducting a traffic stop after 5 p.m. Saturday
  • Both of those people were taken to the Orange Co. Jail
  • One of the suspects, a man named Eric Stanley, used a gun to hold several people hostage including the deputy sheriff, a correction’s officer, a male nurse and the other suspect
  • This all happened in the area where people who are arrested are booked into the jail
  • Two Orlando Police Dept. officers and three Orange Co. Sheriff’s deputies confronted Stanley and shot at him
  • Law enforcement negotiated with Stanley for about an hour and a half before he surrendered
  • Stanley was shot in his shoulder and his injuries are not life-threatening
  • No corrections officers, deputy sheriffs, civilian employees or police officers were injured
  • The Florida Dept. of Law Enforcement will conduct an investigation into the shooting of the suspect
  • The names of the officers and deputies will be released Sunday
  • There will be a criminal investigation into Eric Stanley
  • The Orange County Sheriff’s Office will conduct an internal investigation

Louis Quinones, Jr., the Chief of Corrections, also spoke at the media conference. He called Saturday, “the worst day of my career,” saying, “it is a day every jail administrator hopes and prays never comes.”

Channel 9 is working to obtain information about suspect Eric Stanely’s past criminal record. Watch WRDQ-TV 27 live at 10 p.m. and WFTV live at 11 p.m. for those details.

8:20 p.m.

The Orange Co. Sheriff’s Office sent a message to the public emphasizing there is no danger to anyone at the jail, or to the public in general.

The Tweet also clarified that there is no active shooter at the jail.

8:05 p.m.

The Orange County Sheriff’s Office released a statement over Twitter confirmed the suspect is in custody and the scene is secure.

The suspect’s identity has not been released.


7:35 p.m.

  • Suspect in the hostage situation has been secured sources tell WFTV

7:20 p.m.

  • Multiple sources tell WFTV the situation at the Orange County Jail is a hostage situation
  • We’re told it involves a deputy at the nurse’s station
  • Sources tell us a person was being booked into the jail at the time
  • There is no information about any injuries at this point

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7:00 p.m.

  • Roads around the Orange County Jail are shut down in the area of I-4 and John Young Parkway
  • WFTV crews confirmed multiple law enforcement officers are in the area
  • Neighbors told WFTV crews they saw multiple law enforcement officers in the area with their weapons drawn


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