Gunman Shoots At Kids

By Debbie Williams Reporter

Shots fly outside a Pensacola daycare as children run for their life.

Published: Fri, May 02, 2008 - 4:54 pm

Debbie Williams

Shots fly outside a Pensacola daycare as children run for their life. Deputies arrested the man they say pulled the trigger but not before he threatened to shoot them, too.
Playtime at a Pensacola daycare was interrupted Thursday night by gunfire. "We were sitting in here watching TV and I heard something pow, pow and I looked out the window and I saw a police officer flying down the street," says neighbor Stephanie Gray.
Sheriff's deputies weren't far behind according to spokesman Glenn Austin. "We got a call that somebody was wearing body armour and shooting at kids"
A gunman in a bullet proof vest was driving through the neighborhood. "I heard pow, pow, pow and then I saw them run back in the daycare and seen the police officer flying down the street," says Gray.
That officer would eventually catch up to Larry Saulsberry who had gotten out of a white Mustang and started running according to Austin. "For a brief moment he turned around and pointed his weapon right at the officer and that's when the officer fired. The officer missed and the gentleman began running on further. They caught up with him and were able to capture him."
Daycare owner Brenda Dean said it never happened. She wouldn't go on camera but she told me on the phone that no kids were ever in danger that no one was even out in the playground. She says the shots were fired three blocks away.
"It's the first time I ever heard a shooting like that." Neighbors tell a different story. "I heard the gunshots and then I saw a couple of ladies and kids in the daycare right there playing in the playground with the kids right there and all of a sudden I saw them running inside real quick and then that's when I seen the police officer flying down the street."
None of the children were hurt on a playground that for a while seemed more like a battle ground.
Saulsberry remains in the Escambia County Jail on a host of weapons charges. The officer that shot at him is on administrative leave.