EUSTIS, Fla.—The Lake County Sheriff’s Office is still searching for a suspect who was the subject of an extensive search in Eustis Sunday night.
David Flores, 37, is the suspect in an aggravated assault that occurred in the county portion of Bates Avenue around 5:30 p.m. Sunday and he also has an active warrant for burglary, LCSO Lt. John Herrell said.
Rumors were flying on social media Sunday night as residents watched numerous deputies and Eustis Police Department officers search the area around Eustis Middle School and DeLand Road, commonly known as the Eustis bypass. Tavares Police Chief Sarah Coursey told Inside Lake Flores is also a person of interest in a murder in Tavares in 2018.
LCSO received the report of the aggravated assault around 5:30 p.m. and deputies gathered information from the victim that indicated Flores was armed, in possession of a bulletproof vest and had fled on foot into nearby woods, Herrell said.
Residents expressed their displeasure on social media on the lack of information provided by law enforcement during the search and Inside Lake asked why it was several hours before any information was provided to the media and the public.
“It was a very fluid situation with very little help from the victim. The deputies on scene were tied up for a long time trying to secure the perimeter and coordinate the search efforts. Once they were able to confirm information and communicate it to the public information officer, the information was released promptly,” Herrell told Inside Lake late Monday morning.
After more than four hours, the search was called off at 10:45 p.m., Herrell said.
LCSO is asking the public not to approach Flores and to notify them immediately if they spot him; he is considered armed and dangerous.
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