Neighbor recounts arrest of correctional officer accused of shooting at wife in Lake City

LAKE CITY, Fla. (WCJB) - A state prison correctional officer is now the one behind bars after Lake City Police officers say he tried to shoot his spouse.

Early Sunday morning on Shelby Terrace in Lake City, a neighbor called 911 saying that Rance Park was attempting to shoot his wife. According to the arrest report, Park accused her of “cheating.” He hit her numerous times, threatened to kill her and her child, and then shot at her.

Neighbor Jordan Smith said even though he didn’t know Park that well he had never expected this.

“There wasn’t really anything off about him. He seemed like a normal dad, which we talked about our kids,” said Smith.

Officers surrounded the home and told Park to exit and surrender. After walking forward, Park stopped and said he would not come any closer. He then refused to comply with further commands.

“We looked out the window there were pointing the spotlights and they already had their guns drawn telling him to come out of the house with hands up. When he did come out of the house it looked like he had something in his hand so they were shouting at him. So he could drop what he had” Said Smith.

When officers pulled out their Tasers, Park turned and ran. They caught him and took him into custody.

“45 seconds into the chase you could hear them through the window telling him to put his hands behind his back. By that time we were looking out the window watching the event happen,” added Smith.

Investigators say earlier in the day, Park had threatened to shoot his spouse and a child in the home. He struck his spouse multiple times and fired the gun at them twice.

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During the incident, Park posted on Facebook complaining about someone calling the police to his house while he was sleeping. Park was booked into the Columbia County Jail on charges of attempted homicide, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated child abuse, firing a weapon on a residential property, battery, and obstruction.

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