A dramatic series of events that started with gunshots and led to evacuations in a Hernando County neighborhood ended hours later with two people dead and another person in critical condition. 

According to the Hernando County Sheriff Al Neinhuis, a man with a lengthy criminal history is in custody. Now, authorities are trying to determine what caused the shooting spree. 

Authorities have not released any of the names of the people involved. 

Neinhuis said officials said a call reporting gunshots in a subdivision near Old Spring Lake Road and Cortez Boulevard came in around 8:45 p.m. That is in the Hill 'n Dale area.

"People just said they heard some shots, and then they heard some screaming," Neinhuis said. 

Authorities said after that shooting, a suspect ran from the scene, breaking into a nearby vacant home and attempting to hide. After a four-hour standoff, authorities were able to take the suspect into custody without any additional violence. 

That led to evacuations in that area and the SWAT Team being called out. 

Deputies rushed to the scene to find three people shot at the initial location. Two people were already dead but officials were able to rush a third person shot to an area hospital in critical condition. 

Neinhuis said witnesses and a quick response by deputies helped the carnage from being worse. 

"It was a combination of several things," Neinhuis said of taking the suspect into custody. "I think we had some information from citizens in the area that saw an individual running. (Our) K9 tracked and our air unit at the very end saw this individual go into the house and not come out."

An investigation is ongoing at the shooting scene and the standoff scene.