Edgewater – Michmutters

Edgewater police ID suspected shooter, 2 dead in hostage standoff at Narcotics Anonymous meeting

EDGEWATER, Fla. – Three people died on Monday after a hostage situation turned into a double homicide-suicide at a Narcotics Anonymous meeting in Edgewater, police said.

Edgewater police said an armed suspect, identified as 49-year-old Quinton Francis Hunter, took a woman hostage in the 500 block of North Ridgewood Avenue near New Smyrna Beach.

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Police said they were informed at approximately 7 pm that a man had been shot at Bridge the Gap — a nonprofit organization — and a woman was being held hostage. Authorities identified the two as Ian Greenfield, 59, and Erica Hoffman, 33.

“It appears from the timeline we have that he had already shot Mr. Greenfield and he’d already fired several other shots before he went live. But he made no comment. He wouldn’t communicate with us. It was just heavy breathing,” police said at a news briefing Tuesday morning.

Others at the meeting ran away and were not injured, according to police. Police said about 20 people escaped the meeting as the hostage situation continued. During the update, Edgewater police said the shooting is believed to be domestic in nature.

Police said the suspect was the ex-boyfriend of Hoffman and they believed she had “formed a new relationship” with Greenfield.

“Mr. Greenfield and Miss Hoffman create some kind of relationship — they didn’t put a label on it right now — but there was a new friendship and we’re working on the details to see if that was the entire motive of Mr. Hunter.. .jealousy. But I don’t know that yet. There’s still a lot of investigating we have to do,” Edgewater police said at a news conference.

Police attempted to negotiate with the hostage-taker but were unsuccessful. A SWAT team later entered the building and found three people dead, including the suspect, police said.

According to investigators, Greenfield and Hoffman were found with apparent gunshot wounds and lacerations. Hunter appeared to have shot and killed himself, investigators said.

An investigation is ongoing.

North Ridgewood Avenue was closed in both directions for hours during the standoff.

According to the Narcotics Anonymous website, “NA is a nonprofit fellowship or society of men and women for whom drugs had become a major problem.”

The organization issued the following statement after the shooting Monday night:

The shooting that occurred last night at a Narcotics Anonymous meeting located at 22222N. Ridgewood Avenue, Edgewater was a horrific isolated event. Our deepest sympathies go out to the families and friends of all of the victims. It is unfortunate that this happened at a place that is supposed to be a safe place for people who are trying to recover from the disease of addiction. We do not know the circumstances or details of this event and they are not relative nor reflective of Narcotics Anonymous as a whole. Our members are deeply moved by these events and will continue to pray for the families of all of the victims of this horrific act carried out by one individual. Narcotics Anonymous meetings will continue to provide a safe place for addicts seeking recovery.

Narcotics Anonymous

This is the back side of the building where a deadly standoff took place late last night in Edgewater.

We are waiting to get more information from police though we know three people were found dead inside. @news6wkmg pic.twitter.com/ILkpVXHSFr

— Ezzy Castro (@EzzyCastro) August 9, 2022

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Edgewater double murder-suicide was motivated by jealousy: police

A hostage situation in Edgewater ended with three people dead Monday night. Police are calling it a double murder-suicide. It happened in the area of Ridgewood and East Knapp Avenue. A suspect walked into a Narcotics Anonymous meeting, shot a man and took a woman hostage, according to Edgewater police. The rest of the people at the meeting, about 20, escaped. Edgewater police spent hours trying to talk the suspect out of the building, but the SWAT team finally had to break through the door to get in and find the victims. When they breached the door, they found the original victim, the woman, and the shooter all dead. The victims were identified as 59-year-old Ian Greenfield and 33-year-old Erica Hoffman. The accused shooter was 49-year-old Quinton Hunter, who went by the nickname “Rags.” Police say the incident stemmed from a love triangle. Hunter was the ex-boyfriend of Hoffman, who was in a new relationship with Greenfield. Police say Hunter went on Facebook live while inside the building at the Narcotics Anonymous meeting after he shot Greenfield but before he shot Hoffman. In the video, he’s just staring at the camera and breathing strangely, police say. Police say Hunter has an extensive criminal history. If you or someone you know is struggling, there are resources available: Harbor House of Central Florida 24-hour confidential crisis hotline: (407) 886-2856 Victim Service Center of Central Florida 24/7 helpline : (407)-500-HEALNational Domestic Violence Hotline 24/7 and in English and Spanish: 1-800-799-7233United Way of Central Florida 2-1-1 services: Call or text 211 for confidential domestic abuse support, and other services. If you or someone you know may be contemplating suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or text HOME to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line.

EDGEWATER, Fla. —

A hostage situation in Edgewater ended with three people dead Monday night.

Police are calling it a double murder-suicide. It happened in the area of Ridgewood and East Knapp Avenue.

A suspect walked into a Narcotics Anonymous meeting, shot a man and took a woman hostage, according to Edgewater police. The rest of the people at the meeting, about 20, escaped.

Edgewater police spent hours trying to talk the suspect out of the building, but the SWAT team finally had to break through the door to get in and find the victims.

When they breached the door, they found the original victim, the woman, and the shooter all dead.

The victims were identified as 59-year-old Ian Greenfield and 33-year-old Erica Hoffman. The accused shooter was 49-year-old Quinton Hunter, who went by the nickname “Rags.”

Police

(Left to right) Greenfield, Hunter, Hoffman

Police say the incident stemmed from a love triangle. Hunter was the ex-boyfriend of Hoffman, who was in a new relationship with Greenfield.

Police say Hunter went on Facebook live while inside the building at the Narcotics Anonymous meeting after he shot Greenfield but before he shot Hoffman. In the video, he’s just staring at the camera and breathing strangely, police say.

Police say Hunter has an extensive criminal history.

If you or someone you know is struggling, there are resources available:

Harbor House of Central Florida 24-hour confidential crisis hotline: (407) 886-2856

Victim Service Center of Central Florida 24/7 helpline: (407)-500-HEAL

National Domestic Violence Hotline 24/7 and in English and Spanish: 1-800-799-7233

United Way of Central Florida 2-1-1 services: Call or text 211 for confidential domestic abuse support, and other services.

If you or someone you know may be contemplating suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or text HOME to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line.

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