Indian River County - Wednesday March 8, 2023: A convicted felon who fired a handgun and threatened to shoot law enforcement is in custody following a five-hour standoff Sunday night at the Pemberly Palms Apartment Homes in Vero Beach.
62-year-old convicted felon Kendall Wireman has been charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, he had a drug conviction in Michigan; and Discharging a Firearm in Public in a Reckless Manner.
The incident began when Wireman reportedly fired a shot from his apartment out towards 8th Street. That prompted several residents to call 911 shortly before 6 p.m. Sunday afternoon.
According to a release from the Indian River County Sheriff's Office Wireman told one of the residents - "I'm getting in a shootout so you may want to go inside". Je then returned to his apartment.
IRC Sheriff Deputies and responded and immediately established a perimeter and evacuated about 24 residents from the complex which is located at 840 5th Ave.
Wiremen was contacted by deputies but refused to come out of the residence or allow deputies inside. The IRCSO SWAT Team and Crisis Negotiations Team were called in. The St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office and the Vero Beach Police Department also responded.
Several nonlethal tactical measures were deployed in unsuccessful attempts to get Wiremen to come out of his apartment. Eventually, around 11:30 p.m., after over 5 hours of negotiations, Wiremen walked out of his apartment and peacefully surrendered without further incident.
IRCSO detectives obtained a search warrant for Wiremen's apartment and recovered a pink and silver colored .380 caliber pistol along with several rounds of ammunition which were located in the apartment's attic.
The IRCSO release states that "Wireman confessed to making statements about a shootout, but claimed the gun was a bb gun."
No one was injured.