[FL] Domestic conflict between 2 Palm Beach County Deputies turns into a SWAT standoff

This happened a little over a week ago:

...Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said the deputy [Gary Giannotti] had heated exchanges with his wife, who's also a Palm Beach County Sheriff's deputy... After the wife and two children left the home, and other deputies began arriving, Bradshaw said the deputy in the home threatened to hurt himself... As the hours ticked by, an army of investigators lined the rural roadways outside, including a a SWAT team, a Sheriff negotiator, and a special operations unit... The deputy's department-issued cruiser was found partially submerged in a canal behind the home. Several homes in the area around 110th Avenue North were evacuated... 

PBSO SURROUNDS ACREAGE HOME, IN STANDOFF WITH ONE OF ITS DEPUTIES
Palm Beach Post
By Jason Schultz and Andrew Marra
Dec. 29, 2009
[Excerpts] Sheriff's deputies this morning have surrounded the home of two of their own deputies in The Acreage, where they say one of the deputies is distressed and holed up in the house. A spokeswoman for the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office said the deputy is in the home alone and may be armed. But she said the man has not put anyone else in danger. "He's in the home," spokeswoman Teri Barbera said. "He's not hurting anyone. Nobody (else) is in danger"... Sheriff's officials have set up a command post outside the home... and have blocked several roads in the area. A negotiator was on the scene this morning and several SWAT team members were standing by... The home where the standoff is taking place is owned by Gary and Erin Giannotti, both deputies with the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office, The Palm Beach Post has learned. Gary Giannotti, 41, has been a sheriff's deputy since 2001 and worked for the Boynton Beach and Royal Palm Beach police departments previously. Erin Giannotti, 37, has worked for the sheriff's office since 2006. Prior to that, she worked for the Royal Palm Beach Police Department, at one point serving as the department's spokeswoman.... [Full article HERE or HERE]

PBSO IN STANDOFF WITH DEPUTY AT ACREAGE HOME; SHERIFF SAYS DEPUTY HAS NOT THREATENED OTHERS
Palm Beach PostJason Schultz
Posted: 12/29/2009 1:10 PM
[Excerpts] Palm Beach County Sheriff's officials this afternoon have surrounded the home of two of their own, where they say a distressed deputy was holed up in the house, perhaps with weapons. But authorities said the man so far has not posed a threat. Sheriff Ric Bradshaw was at the home as negotiators tried to get the man to surrender. Authorities confirmed the man and his wife are deputies but declined to name either. The Palm Beach Post has learned, however, the deputy in the home is Gary Giannotti... Authorities originally had said [Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric] Bradshaw was personally taking part in the negotiations but later said that was not the case. Bradshaw told reporters at noon — without identifying him by name — that Gary Gianotti as inside alone and appeared to have been drinking and had access to weapons. But so far, he said, Gianotti had not committed a crime. "The only threats he's made were to himself." Bradshaw said. "We're just going to let this thing de-escalate. We're going to stay here as long as it takes." Spokeswoman Teri Barbera said deputies came to the home on Sixty-Sixth Street at about 9:30 a.m. after reports of an argument. Bradshaw said — again without naming her — Erin Gianotti said her husband had not struck her. Erin Gianotti and the couple's two children went to a nearby sheriff's substation. When deputies arrived, Gary Gianotti ran back inside and "made some gestures that he wanted to hurt himself or others," Bradshaw said... "Deputies are human beings like everyone else," Bradshaw said. "He's been a very good employee."... [Full article HERE or HERE]

PBSO STANDOFF WITH DEPUTY IN ACREAGE HOME ENDS PEACEFULLY
Palm Beach Post
By Jason Schultz, Andrew Marra and Eliot Kleinberg
Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2009
[Excerpts] A standoff between Palm Beach County Sheriff's officials and a distressed deputy ended peacefully this afternoon when the deputy was found asleep in a back bedroom of his home... The deputy offered no resistance, and was taken to an unnamed mental health facility. Throughout the incident, authorities said the the deputy had not posed a threat... A police vehicle found in a ditch near the home belonged to the deputy, according to department spokeswoman Teri Barbera. The deputy apparently lost control of the vehicle while coming home, she said. Barbera said deputies came to the home on Sixty-Sixth Street at about 9:30 a.m. after reports of an argument... Erin Giannotti and the couple's two children went to a nearby sheriff's substation... Authorities were checking but so far had not found any other instances of deputies being called to the home...  [Full article HERE or HERE]



STANDOFF INVOLVING PBSO DEPUTY ENDS WITHOUT INJURY
cbs12.com
December 29, 2009 11:32 AM
[Excerpts] ...Giannotti had barricaded himself inside his home this morning after a domestic dispute with his wife. As the hours ticked by, an army of investigators lined the rural roadways outside, including a a SWAT team, a Sheriff negotiator, and a special operations unit. Negotiators tried throughout the afternoon to communicate with Giannotti, described by investigators as a "distraught deputy." Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said Giannotti had "access to firearms." Nearby homes were evacuated. "Our main concern is safety for people in the area," Bradshaw said. Deputies said they received a call about a domestic dispute at the home of Gary and Erin Gianotti this morning at about 9 a.m. Erin Gianotti left the couple's home calmly with their children. A car was discovered in a neighboring canal after Gary Gianotti tried to drive and "over shot the driveway," investigators said... His wife, Erin Gianotti, has been with sheriff's office since the Royal Palm Beach Police department merged with PBSO in October 2006. [Full article HERE or HERE]

PBSO FORCED TO REMOVE DEPUTY FROM HOME
Incident Started With Domestic Dispute
WPBF
December 29, 2009
[Excerpts] ...Sheriff's spokeswoman Teri Barbera said the incident started earlier this morning when the deputy got into a fight with his wife, who is also a deputy. She was able to get out the house with their children safely, said Barbera. Throughout the day, negotiators, including Sheriff Ric Bradshaw, tried to calm down the deputy and get him out of the house. Bradshaw said the deputy had been drinking and threatened to take his own life... The deputy's department-issued cruiser was found partially submerged in a canal behind the home. Several homes in the area around 110th Avenue North were evacuated, and the road was closed to traffic. Those residents have been allowed to return home and the road reopened. [Full article HERE or HERE]

DEPUTY IN STANDOFF TAKEN TO MENTAL FACILITY
cbs12.com
Chuck Weber
December 29, 2009 7:30 PM
[Excerpts] A nearly seven hour stand-off at a deputy's home in The Acreage, ended Tuesday afternoon, with no one hurt. Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said the deputy had heated exchanges with his wife, who's also a deputy. Bradshaw said there was no violence. After the wife and two children left the home, and other deputies began arriving, Bradshaw said the deputy in the home threatened to hurt himself... We've learned the deputy is Gary Giannotti, who is a detective with the Sheriff's Office. He was taken to a mental health facility. Detective Gianotti's wife, Erin, is also a detective with the same agency. Sheriff Bradshaw said he was relieved at the outcome. He said, "The good part about it is here nobody got hurt. The wife's not hurt. The kids are not hurt. Neighbors not hurt. And he's not hurt. We can work everything else out... Anytime you get alcohol involved and you get the holidays involved, it doesn't matter if it's a law enforcement officer," said Bradshaw. "It doesn't really matter. People are people." The Sheriff says he won't rule out charges against the deputy, but for now he's getting help. The Sheriff, others in the department, and Giannotti's neighbors told us they had always held the deputy in high regard. [Full article HERE or HERE]

DEPUTY WHO LAUNCHED 7-HOUR STAND-OFF UNDERGOES MENTAL EVALUATION
cbs12.com
December 30, 2009 3:01 PM
The Palm Beach County deputy who's domestic dispute launched a seven-hour stand-off yesterday is under mental evaluation at a local hospital. He is expected to be there for at least another two days. Investigators entered the home of Detective Gary Giannotti... Giannotti had barricaded himself inside his home after a domestic squabble with his wife.... Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said Giannotti had "access to firearms." Nearby homes were evacuated. [Full article HERE or HERE]
[police officer involved domestic violence oidv intimate partner abuse law enforcement public safety lethal attempted suicide suicidal florida state cop on cop children]