Volusia Sheriff's Office deputies shot a crime suspect with a so-called 'sponge round' in order to apprehend them on Tuesday, the agency announced on Thursday. 33-year-old Victor Soto was arrested and booked on several felony charges after the shot, and as of Friday he's still booked into the Volusia County Branch Jail.
The incident reportedly began when Soto, a suspect in an aggravated assault case, was located at the DeLand Motel at 1340 N. Woodland Blvd on Tuesday. The VSO says deputies commanded Soto multiple times to leave one of the units, instructions which he reportedly ignored.
A search warrant was obtained and subsequently executed by deputies in order to extract Soto from his hotel room. They fired what's known as a 'less lethal round', a foam-nosed projectile of about one ounce in weight which was developed to assist in riot control. The maximum potential for injury for the ammunition, also known as 'sponge rounds', is believed to be broken bones or severe head injuries. They are intended to be non-lethal.
After Soto was hit, he was placed in handcuffs and arrested. His was the first case in which VSO deputies utilized the sponge rounds against a suspect since being trained on them in recent months. Soto was taken first to AdventHealth DeLand for treatment, and then booked into the Volusia County Branch Jail.
He was charged with three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, two counts of cocaine possession, plus one count each of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, obstruction of an officer without violence, and introduction of contraband into a detention facility. On the assault, battery, and firearm possession charges he was denied bond.
Video of the arrest was provided. Be advised of strong language and an intense situation.
