FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. (Court TV) — Body camera footage shows deputies in Florida apprehending a man allegedly attempting to murder his estranged girlfriend.
Flagler County Sheriff deputies arrested Aaron Thayer outside his ex’s residence on April 3. The day before, the woman had called authorities after receiving multiple threatening text messages and phone calls from Thayer. She told deputies Thayer had been out of town for work but believed he was watching her through security cameras installed on the property. While deputies were there, Thayer reportedly called the woman asking “who was at the house and then told her he was on his way to kill her.” Detectives then secured a warrant for Thayer’s arrest, while the woman “declined the offer of going to a safe location,” according to a news release.
The next day, authorities were dispatched to the woman’s home on reports that Thayer had broken in, “entered her bedroom and took $400, grabbed a firearm that was on the victim’s nightstand, cocked it, and began chasing the victim, threatening to kill her.”
As deputies pulled up to the scene, they spotted the woman being chased and directed her to hide behind their patrol car. They then confronted an uncompliant Thayer and tased him. Deputies found a loaded handgun and folding knife on his persons. Thayer was arrested on charges of Written Threats to Kill, Attempted Murder with a Firearm, Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, and Resisting Arrest with Violence.
Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly said, “This guy told the victim he was going to kill her and less than 24-hours later he had driven all night and was at her door to kill her. I am so thankful that my deputies were able to intercept this guy and used their training, tactics and de-escalation techniques before he was able to hurt anyone. They handled a very volatile and dangerous situation by running toward danger to protect the victim. This situation that could have had an entirely different outcome with either the victim, suspect or deputies injured or killed if not for the heroic efforts of our deputies.”
