Deputies: Barricaded man, 70, in Port Charlotte kills self after killing woman

Reporter: Erika Jackson
Published: Updated:
A man has barricaded himself in a Port Charlotte home after deputies say he shot a woman Wednesday morning while she was sitting in her car. (Credit: WINK News)

A 70-year-old man who barricaded himself in a Port Charlotte home after he shot and killed a woman has killed himself, deputies say.

The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office identified the man on Thursday as Allyn Harry Harris.

The scene unfolded just before 10:30 a.m. at a home on Great Falls Terrace.

Deputies say Harris, while completely nude, fired shots into a vehicle, killing a woman in the driveway of their home.

The woman, who is not being named due to Marsy’s Law, lived at the home. The vehicle, while still in reverse, rolled into the neighbor’s fence.

The woman, who was seated on the driver’s side, died of her injuries. The man then ran into his home. The SWAT team spent Wednesday morning trying to get the man to come out before entering the home shortly after 3 p.m.

The SWAT vehicle drove toward the home before several loud bangs sounded. Deputies sent a small robot into the home before proceeding inside where they found the man dead.

Deputies are calling it a murder-suicide and believe it was a domestic situation.

Jackie Dion said she heard about six to eight shots.

“In about 20 minutes the helicopter started flying really low,” she said. “At first, I thought it was an accident or evacuation.”

She said she then saw sheriff’s office cars rush by.

Bruce Foster said he’s lived there for 10 years.

“I’ve never seen anything like this at all,” Foster said.

Several roads in the area were blocked off as the investigation continued. Nearby schools were placed on a soft lockdown Wednesday morning as a precaution but that lockdown was later lifted.

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