Sarasota Man Sentenced to 40 Years for Shooting at Ambulance After Staged 911 Call

SARASOTA, FL — A Sarasota man who ambushed an ambulance after staging a fake 911 call has been sentenced to four decades in prison, prosecutors announced.

Tyran Young, 38, was sentenced on October 6 to 40 years in state prison followed by 20 years of probation for his role in a January 2019 shooting that targeted Sarasota County first responders. The incident began when dispatchers received a call about a reported fall at a home on Goodrich Avenue. When paramedics arrived, Young opened fire on their ambulance, striking it twice. No one was injured.

Planned Ambush

Investigators later determined the 911 call had been fabricated. According to Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office reports, Young attempted to implicate a younger family member but ultimately became the primary suspect after detectives traced the call back to his device.

Phone records and internet history linked him to both the staged call and similar activity in 2018, which authorities described as a “dry run.”

Prosecutors argued that Young staged the attack as part of a broader plan to secure leniency in unrelated felony cases. At the time, he faced other criminal charges and believed the shooting might influence the outcome of those proceedings.

Legal Delays and Plea Withdrawal Attempt

Court records show Young used a series of legal tactics to delay the case, including competency claims and representing himself in court.

In August 2023, he entered a no contest plea to multiple charges but later attempted to withdraw it, claiming he had been coerced. The court rejected his request, citing video evidence and testimony that showed Young understood the terms of his plea.

At sentencing, prosecutors highlighted his history as a 13-time convicted felon and emphasized the deliberate nature of the attack.

Convictions and Sentencing

Young was convicted of multiple charges, including:

• Two counts of aggravated assault on firefighters

• Shooting into a vehicle

• Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon

• Misuse of 911

• Unlawful use of communications equipment

Assistant State Attorney William Greiner said in court that Young’s plan backfired dramatically.

“Tyran Young very much seems to think he is smarter than everyone else,” Greiner said. “However, considering he managed to get himself sentenced to forty years in prison for doing something to avoid serving one year in prison, everyone else is free to think otherwise.”

Impact on First Responders

Although no paramedics were physically injured, the attack sent shockwaves through the Sarasota County Fire Department. Officials said the shooting underscored the risks first responders face even during routine calls.

“This case demonstrates the importance of holding those who target first responders fully accountable,” Greiner said after the sentencing.

Key Takeaways

• The shooting was planned and premeditated, not a spontaneous act.

• Young’s legal strategy delayed but did not prevent conviction.

• The case sends a strong message about misuse of emergency services and attacks on public safety personnel.

Young will serve his sentence in state prison. Upon release, he will remain under supervision for two additional decades.