911 tapes released in Hernando shooting

SPRING HILL -- In the 911 calls, Kyle Gabelman's parents can be heard screaming in fear, pleading with their son to put his gun down before seeing him walk out the door to be shot and killed by deputies.

The tapes of the chilling emergency calls from the Nov. 20 incident were released by the Hernando County Sheriff's Office on Friday. Gabelman, 25, showed up at his parents' Spring Hill home, carrying a handgun and apparently drunk. His parents called the Sheriff's Office as their son left but then returned to the house.

With deputies swarming to the scene, Gabelman broke the glass on his parents' back door and came inside. His parents pleaded with him to drop his gun, but Gabelman said he didn't want to go to jail. His mother, Debbie, said jail was better than death. Gabelman said it wasn't, and walked out the front door. He fired a shot, and deputies shot him.

Erin Sullivan, Times staff writer