A Connecticut man, identified as 56-year-old Joseph DiFusco, was shot and killed by a Volusia County Sheriff’s Office sniper on Thursday after firing over 200 rounds at neighboring homes and at authorities in a Florida condominium complex.
The incident occurred in the Kingston Shores condominiums near Ormond-by-the-Sea, where DiFusco had been staying at an Airbnb. Deputies were initially called to the area at 4 a.m. after DiFusco reported having suicidal thoughts, but he declined medical transport.
About two hours later, DeFusco began firing into neighboring units and at responding law enforcement officers, leading to a five-hour standoff. According to Sheriff Mike Chitwood, DiFusco allegedly fired over 200 rounds, with bullets whizzing overhead just 100 yards away from the deputies.
DiFusco’s family had reportedly contacted authorities before the incident, expressing concerns about their safety. They said DiFusco had stopped taking his medication and had not slept for days, leading to a increasingly erratic behavior.
The walls of the condominium complex were riddled with bullet holes, and neighbors were evacuated from the area. The standoff ended when a sheriff’s sniper shot and killed DiFusco, with no one else injured.