LAKELAND, Fla. -- Authorities in Florida said a 39-year-old man who was holed up in a home with his young daughter died Sunday, July 8 -- and his daughter is safe.
The tense situation lasted nearly 24 hours.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said Gary Cauley shot himself after releasing his 6-year-old daughter Ryland. Judd said police don't know Cauley's motive, but said he had a lengthy criminal record.
"Gary told Ryland just before he sent her out the front door that, 'don't be afraid of the deputies. They're not going to hurt you. Go walk out and walk to the deputies,' and then he told Ryland, 'and them I'm going to kill myself.' At that time, we introduced more gas behind him because obviously, at the front door, he was getting fresh air. And we introduced more gas. He stepped out of the house at that time with a gun in his mouth and shot himself in the mouth. He was immediately deceased. We sent our medics. We sent our medics to check on him, and obviously we witnessed him with the gun in his mouth and shoot himself. Then he was immediately dead at the scene. The good news is that we were able to get that 6-year-old beautiful little girl out safely. She's alive and she's well. The sad news is that he told us the truth, 'I'm going to commit suicide.' He had been telling us that since yesterday and that's exactly what he did," said Sheriff Judd.
Cauley reportedly showed up at his 36-year-old estranged wife's home around 4 a.m. Saturday, July 7, after learning his wife had planned a beach trip with another man.
Cauley armed himself with a handgun, threatened to kill himself and refused to let his daughter leave.