Deputies identify man who died in Town ‘N Country standoff, confirm he shot himself

TAMPA — A man who shot two women before dying by suicide during a standoff with deputies Thursday has been identified as Michel “Frenchy” Barbeau, 47.

Barbeau lived at the home where the standoff occurred, 6731 Ranger Drive in The Cove community of Town ‘N Country.

The two women, both of Hillsborough County, were hospitalized in stable condition, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.

One woman, 30, was Barbeau’s girlfriend, and was shot in the leg, the Sheriff’s Office said. The other woman, 40, was shot in the shoulder.

READ MORE: Man found dead in barricaded Town ‘N Country home where two women were shot

The Sheriff’s Office does not release names of crime victims under the agency’s interpretation of a new state constitutional amendment known as Marsy’s Law, designed to protect the privacy of victims and their families.

After five hours of negotiations, Barbeau was found dead in his home from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, the Sheriff’s Office said.

Called to the scene at about 5:30 a.m., deputies found the two women who had been shot and learned from them that Barbeau was still inside.

SWAT and specialty units were called in after Barbeau refused to surrender. After negotiations failed, the Sheriff’s Office deployed gas and forced entry into the home using robots. At around 1:50 p.m., a robot searched the home and found Barbeau dead.