Sheriff's Deputy lauded for sparing life of assailant who repeatedly threatened him with a gun

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Clear and cool thinking under pressure by a Lake County Sheriff's Deputy saved the life of a man who repeatedly fired pellet guns at him, said authorities who investigated the deputy's May 15 actions.

Deputy Lyle Thomas had responded to a call involving a woman who reported she had been shot with a pellet gun. As Thomas talked to the woman outside, Robert Scott Hisell, 52, came out of his house carrying a high-powered pellet rifle that looked like an assault rifle.

As Hisell pointed the rifle at him, Thomas used his body as a shield and pulled the woman to safety. Hisell then fired at Thomas — at which point the deputy determined that it was a pellet rifle. Despite being shot at repeatedly, Thomas did not return fire and gave at least 35 orders to Hisell to drop his weapon.

Hisell refused to relinquish the gun and shouted threats and “nonsensical comments” at Thomas. Then he pulled what appeared to be a black Glock pistol from a fanny pack.

Thomas several times ordered Hisell to drop the weapon but the latter leveled the gun at the deputy, at which point Thomas fired five times at him. As Hisell returned fire, Thomas determined the rounds were coming from a pellet gun.

When an officer with another law enforcement agency told Thomas he had a clear shot at Hisell, Thomas told the officer to hold his fire “although the officer would have been justified under the circumstances in shooting the suspect”.

“This decision by Deputy Thomas saved the life of the suspect”. He was also commended for “extreme bravery and ... restraint.”

A SWAT team eventually arrested Hisell on suspicion of attempted murder and other charges.