SARASOTA, Fla. (WFLA) — The man who was in a standoff with Sarasota police Saturday morning tried to harm two people before barricading himself, according to the Sarasota Police Department.
A new release states that the shooter, a former maintenance worker at L’Elegance On Lido Beach Condo, went into the condo of a man and woman Friday before midnight. The ex-worker, identified by a friend as Billy Niewold, was trying to hurt the man, but the two targets escaped while Niewold fired multiple rounds at them, according to police.
Sarasota PD said that afterward, he went into the parking garage and fired several times into two unoccupied vehicles. According to witnesses, Niewold was disgruntled over losing his job recently.
Niewold then barricaded himself until officers found him dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot.
Detectives are still investigating the situation and ask anyone with knowledge of the incident to call the Sarasota Police Department Criminal Investigations Division at 941-263-6070 or leave an
anonymous tip with Crime Stoppers by calling 941-366-TIPS. Online tips can also be sent to the Crime Stoppers website.
