Charles E. Schmidt

By JOE SEELIG

See More Photos By Kathy Waters/Highlands Today

DESOTO CITY — A DeSoto City man died Friday afternoon at Highlands Regional Medical Center from at least one gunshot wound after a sheriff’s manhunt stemming from the shooting of his wife in the morning, ended in an orange grove.

Charles E. Schmidt, 46, of 5226 Barnum St., DeSoto City, was tracked by members of the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office Special Response Team and a K-9 deputy to an orange grove near Airport Road and County Road 17, according to sheriff’s Maj. David Paeplow.

“Deputies saw Mr. Schmidt and observed him pointing a handgun at them,” Paeplow said. “They shouted, ‘Drop the gun.’ He did not comply and received at least one gunshot wound. He was transported to Highlands Regional.

“We recovered a handgun consistent to the description of the one he used on her. None of our officers were injured in the incident.”

It is unclear if Schmidt fired at the deputies, Paeplow said.

The name of the wife is being withheld by the sheriff’s office as she is a victim of domestic violence, but she is expected to recover, a sheriff’s spokesman said.

She was listed in stable condition Friday afternoon, according to a Highlands Regional Medical Center spokeswoman.

Not long after the shooting was reported, a sheriff’s K-9 team followed a track headed southeast from the original crime scene located at Schmidt’s home and into a nearby orange grove. At some point a new K-9 team was brought in and the track continued.

Schmidt was ultimately tracked to a point nearly a mile and a half away, Paeplow said.

Neighbors in the quiet neighborhood of trailer homes were notified of the danger when a “reverse 911” call went out to residents living in the area of the search. A reverse 911 is a computer-generated call warning residents in affected areas of potential danger.

The sheriff’s Special Response Team arrived on scene about 10:30 a.m. and after a search warrant was signed, the team entered the residence. No one was found inside.

The SRT made a second entry into a trailer home across the street, suspecting Schmidt could be inside, but no one was there.

Curious neighbors stood in the street as sheriff’s deputies placed crime scene tape across Barnum Street to create a safety-zone.

“This is scary,” said Courtney Bruno, 16, a neighbor. “It’s not the first time he’s pulled a gun. He shot Al in the butt. They got into an argument.”

Highlands County Sheriff’s Office Central Records confirmed that Schmidt had been arrested on Aug. 28, in connection with an Aug. 27 incident involving allegations he shot his neighbor with a 22-caliber rifle during an argument over money.

That case was not prosecuted.