Bodycam video: Clermont standoff ends in apparent murder-suicide after suspect fires at police, victims ID'd | FOX 51 Gainesville
Expand / Collapse search
☰

Bodycam video: Clermont standoff ends in apparent murder-suicide after suspect fires at police, victims ID'd

By
Published  February 6, 2025 11:45pm EST
Lake County
FOX 35 Orlando

Bodycam video shows reported ambush of Clermont police officers

Police released body camera video showing the moments officers traded shots with a barricaded murder suspect inside a Clermont apartment. Police said the suspect, Christian Filson, shot and killed his girlfriend, Sarah Dale, Wednesday afternoon. A SWAT team found the suspect dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound at the end of the standoff, according to the Clermont Police Department.

The Brief

    • Clermont police say Christian Filson shot and killed his girlfriend, Sarah Dale, before barricading himself in their apartment and firing at officers. 
    • After a tense standoff, SWAT found Filson dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. 
    • Authorities are investigating the case, with no known history of domestic disputes between the couple.

CLERMONT, Fla. - Clermont police released body camera footage of a deadly standoff at the Cottonwood Apartments on Wednesday. 

What we know:

Officers responded to a shooting and identified Christian Filson as the suspect. Police say Filson shot and killed his girlfriend, Sarah Dale, before barricading himself inside the apartment. 

When officers entered and breached a locked door, they were met with gunfire and forced to retreat. The SWAT team later found Filson dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. No officers were injured.

What we don't know:

Authorities have not confirmed a motive for the shooting or any details about possible conflicts between Filson and Dale. While police received an anonymous call in November about Filson’s erratic behavior, it is unclear if there were other warning signs before the incident. Investigators have also not disclosed whether Dale sought help or expressed concerns prior to her death.

The backstory:

Filson and Dale had recently moved to Florida from Tennessee. In 2017, Filson was arrested there for a robbery and accused of firing shots in a crowded grocery store parking lot. However, he had no known criminal history in Florida. 

Neighbors described him as quiet and reserved, with no apparent history of domestic disturbances or restraining orders.

What they're saying:

Police Chief Charles Broadway said his officers were ambushed. He also expressed condolences to the victim’s family.

"This was a horrific incident, and our thoughts and prayers go to the family of the victim," Broadway said.

A witness recorded the police activity, Josh Reyes, described the intense police response outside his home. 

"I saw as they were breaking the window and how the officers were discussing different tactics," Reyes said. "It’s just wild to think that happened right outside my window."

Reyes also recalled seeing Filson in passing but never noticed anything alarming.

"He just seemed like a young kid that was living there. He would just get in his car, go up the stairs, and not have to interact with anyone."

What's next:

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) will investigate, and the officer who fired his weapon is on administrative leave, as per standard protocol.

STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 35 ORLANDO:

The Source: This story was written based on information shared by the Clermont Police Department.

Lake CountyClermontCrime and Public SafetyNews