A former marine and noted "survivalist" has been accused of going on a meth-fueled violent rampage in central Florida, killing four members of a family including a 3-month-old baby on Sunday, Sept. 5.
Bryan Riley, 33, who served four years in the Marines as a sharpshooter, reportedly walked into a home in Lakeland, Florida dressed in full body armor and allegedly proceeded to gun down four members of a family.
Forty-year-old Justice Gleason, a 33-year-old female, a 3-month-old infant boy, a 62-year-old woman believed to be the infant's grandmother, and Diogi, the family dog, were shot dead during the tragic incident, Fox News reported.
An 11-year-old girl who was shot several times was also found inside the house. She was transported to Tampa General Hospital and is expected to survive.
"It was an evil, evil, evil act by a very well-trained military person who knew better and still did it," Grady Judd, Polk County Sheriff said.
Riley, who reportedly had no connection to the victims before the incident, invaded the Gleason family's residence on Saturday night, Sept, 4, and told one of them, "I’m here to talk to Amber, you see, God sent me here because she’s going to commit suicide."
The victims reportedly asked Riley to leave and called the police. He obliged and returned to his home in Brandon, Florida. However, he went back to the victims' home about nine hours later to mount the massacre.
Deputy officers responded to the house after neighbors heard volleys of gunshots, women's screams, and the sound of baby whimpers coming from the house. At the residence, the officers engaged in a standoff with Riley, striking him at least one time. When air support arrived, Riley finally walked out of the house, surrendering with his hands up, New York Daily News reported.
"While on the way to the hospital and while at the hospital he made statements like he’d been taking meth," Judd said. "He also said that he was a survivalist and he also made statements like, ‘You know why I did this.’
Riley was working as a security guard at an Orlando church and believed that he could speak directly to God, according to the suspect's girlfriend.
She said that he became more erratic during the past week. She alleged that he was sleepless and had bought random supplies for Hurricane Ida victims, such as $1,000 worth of cigars.
"We’re not dealing with a traditional criminal here. But what we’re dealing with is someone who obviously had mental health issues at least this last week, had PTSD," Judd said.
Riley tried to grab a Lakeland police officer’s gun while he was taken to the emergency room. He was then sedated and is expected to be treated and released from the hospital, the Daily Beast reported.
"They begged for their lives and I killed them anyway," Riley reportedly told one of the detectives.
"He’s evil in the flesh. He’s a rabid animal," Judd said at a press conference.
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