Tampa Police responded to the 3300 block of W. Price Avenue at 12:40 this morning and negotiated for hours with an adult male barricaded himself, alone, inside the residence. Officers originally responded to the report of a disturbance regarding the 31-year-old white male subject using a bb-gun to shoot out windows at the residence. After hours of negotiations, Tampa Police were able to safely take 31-year-old Paul Ezzell into custody.
It was reported Ezzell was at the home, armed with a taser, BB gun, mace and gasoline, supposedly upset about an argument regarding a dog. The suspect has been allowed to reside at this location, per the owner, for the past few months. However, he was asked to leave for causing previous disturbances. After a brief verbal altercation, the suspect threw an unknown hard object through the front window into the residence. The object struck and broke the window panel, which subsequently struck one victim in the face, causing minor injury.
Ezzell entered the residence and began intentionally spraying three occupants with mace, before exiting the home and breaking the windshield, rear passenger side window (using a baseball bat) and slashing the tires of a white SUV owned by one of the home occupants. After damaging the vehicle, Ezzell discharged a BB gun both at, and inside, the residence; thankfully, there were no resulting injuries.
Ezzell poured gasoline both inside and outside the residence prior to officers arriving. After hours of negotiation, a chemical irritant was discharged into the residence. At 6:45 AM, officers made entry into the residence and Ezzell was taken into custody. He has been charged with two counts of battery, throwing a deadly missile into an occupied residence, arson, and others. He will be transported to Hillsborough County Jail.