Recap of 2026

The 22nd Annual FSA Spring Sniper Shootout was held at the Orange County Sheriff’s Office Range and was attended by 34 individuals that made up (17) VERY COMPETITIVE teams.  The ‘best of the best” snipers from law enforcement agencies throughout the State of Florida enjoyed showing off their skill set and competitive spirit as they completed the shootout’s nine demanding team and individual courses.

This year, one of the team courses utilized AI-driven robots which created a very challenging tactical scenario for our competitors. Brett Turner of Marathon Targets (Mobile, AL) supplied the robots, and Makenzie Kunzelman and Leo Molina controlled the robots and set up the shooting scenario.  If you want additional information on the robot targets, please contact Brett Turner at Marathon Targets (brett.turner@marathon-targets.com or (404) 422-3946).  

In addition to the competition courses, Deputy Rudy Danner, Citrus County Sheriff’s Office, delivered a critical incident debrief on his actions as a SWAT sniper during a violent confrontation in November 2023. The incident began as a well-being check but quickly escalated when the suspect set his home on fire.  He exited the structure, armed with a handgun, where he began firing at neighbors and responding deputies. From a concealed position along the wood line, Deputy Danner utilized a tripod-supported rifle and fired the final shot that ended the suspect’s rampage. He concluded by sharing key lessons on positioning, communication, threat assessment, and maintaining composure under pressure, providing valuable insight for fellow snipers attending the Spring Shootout.
CONGRATULATIONS to Jose D. Lopez and Stephen German from Collier County Sheriff’s Office for taking the 1st Place team win in the 2026 FSA Spring Sniper Shootout!  2nd Place team winners were Jeffrey Shand and Richard Boyd from Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, and 3rd Place team winners were David Brown and Dillon Cornn from Lakeland Police Department.    

CONGRATULATIONS to Richard Boyd from Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, who took the honor of winning 1st Place in the Individual Top Sniper Award. William Jones from Osceola County Sheriff’s Office took 2nd Place, and Jose D. Lopez from Collier County Sheriff’s Office took 3rd Place.
  
I would like to take this opportunity to thank our amazing sponsors for their gracious donations to our event.  Without their continued support, this event would not have been possible:

•    Florida Bullet
•    SSD/Shoot Straight International, Inc.
•    Condor
•    Cole-Tac
•    Salmon River Solutions
•    Vortex
•    Sicarios Gun Shop
•    Belleville Boots
•    Fun Spot America – Orlando

Once again, the following agencies provided manpower to support the Spring Sniper Shootout by helping put the course events together and judging the events:  Orlando Police Department, Lakeland Police Department, Citrus County Sheriff’s Office, and the Orange County Sheriff's Office.  Their continued support helped make this year’s event live up to its reputation.

A huge thank you to all the agencies that participated in this year’s sniper shootout.  I look forward to seeing you throughout the year at FSA’s great training courses, at the 2026 SWAT Round-Up, and at next year's 2027 Spring Sniper Shootout!  

Stay safe!

Nick Brown
Florida SWAT Association

Chairman: Nick Brown, Orange County SO
Brent Addison, Lakeland PD
Bobby Lambert, Citrus County SO
Tom Beagan, Citrus County SO
Pete Dicenso, Orlando PD
Danny Diloreto, Osceola County SO
Cheryl Troyer, Orange County SO