A 19-year-old suspect has died after a shootout with police in Daytona Beach on Monday, according to the police department.
In a briefing on Monday afternoon, Police Chief Jakari Young said the incident started around 1:45 p.m.
At the time, police received a call about a robbery at Lumina Inn, located at 640 S. Ridgewood Ave., Young added.
“The victim advised he was robbed of about $500 in cash from his wallet and his cell phone,” Young stated. “The victim actually left the scene and went over to an address in Fairway Estates, but advised that the incident occurred at the hotel.”
As a result, police responded to the hotel, knocking on the front door to make contact with the suspect — identified as Ian Sylas Garner, 19 — though several shots were instead fired at the officers, Young said.
Three officers returned fire, retreated, and a perimeter was established, the police chief explained.
“There was a couple individuals inside… of the motel room that was able to get out and get away from the gunfire out of the back,” Young continued. “From there, we did what we do; we established a perimeter, SWAT team responded.”
Officers eventually located Garner inside the motel room suffering from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was transported to a local hospital, where he later died.
Young said one other officer suffered a minor injury to his arm from what investigators believe to be shrapnel, though no additional injuries were reported.
“It was basically just an abrasion to one of his arms,” Young said. “So we’re grateful for the equipment, we’re grateful for the shields, they definitely did their job to save lives.”
A nearby resident, Lester McMane, described the area as having “a bad reputation,” saying it was still shocking to see the large police presence on Monday.
“It’s scary,” he said. “You don’t feel safe.”
Young further stated that the suspect has a criminal history of 11 arrests, including robbery, petit theft, battery, armed trespassing, armed burglary and violation of parole.
News 6 reviewed court records, which show Garner was already on probation in the midst of a three-year term at the time of the incident.
Garner pleaded no contest following an October 2023 armed trespassing case, and was re-arrested after a probation violation in April of last year.
Now, the FDLE is set to investigate the officer-involved shooting, per standard procedure.