Logging Tapes Detail Shooting Scene

The logging recorder was working on Wednesday when an Volusia County (Fla.) man killed two persons, shot a sheriff’s deputy who had arrived to investigate, and who then committed suicide. Deputies found Bryan Langford dead in his girlfriend’s home, and his girlfriend in another room. They found his adult son dead of a gunshot wound at a business that Lanford owned. Dep. Sherif El-Shami had been dispatched as back-up after Langford’s ex-wife dialed 911 to say he was suicidal and going to “end it all.” But El-Shami arrived before the primary officers and was shot as he drove up to the house where Langford was holed up with several weapons. Investigators say Langford fired through a broken window that was covered with a bullet-resistant vest. They said there were guns in each room of the house, and Langford died next to a loaded .50-cal. rifle and gas mask. El-Sharif suffered eye and face injuries and may lose some eyesight. Read more about the incident and listen to the tapes here. [Editor–As this tape demonstrates, one of the critical roles of a dispatcher is to provide repeated assurance to the injured officer that help is on the way.]