A 36-year-old Seminole County man was arrested Thursday after allegedly pointing a gun at FBI agents during the execution of a federal search warrant, an armed standoff that ended only after deputies first used an armored vehicle to breach a bedroom window, then blew open the front door with explosives, and finally deployed gas and a Taser to take him into custody. Frederick Anhalt now faces two counts of forcible interference with federal officers, according to a federal criminal complaint.
According to WESH, FBI agents arrived at Anhalt’s apartment on Seaport Circle around 6 a.m. Thursday to execute the warrant. Anhalt refused repeated commands to come outside, and at one point he reportedly pointed what agents initially believed could be a weapon-mounted light at the agents on scene. Investigators later determined the object was a loaded pistol equipped with a flashlight attachment, the outlet reports.
As the standoff dragged on, deputies first used an armored vehicle to breach a bedroom window, then the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office SWAT team used explosives to breach the front door and deployed gas into the apartment, per the same report. Anhalt had barricaded himself in a closet, where investigators later recovered a rifle and a pistol; WESH reported that three firearms were recovered in all.
Standoff Ends With a Taser
Anhalt reportedly challenged agents to come in and fight him during the standoff, the station’s report states. He ultimately surrendered after SWAT deputies used a Taser to take him into custody, and he later expressed remorse and admitted to the FBI that he had attempted to modify the training system, according to the same account. A judge ordered Anhalt held in custody pending further proceedings…