Florida man shot dead by deputies after gator attack: Cops
Share and Follow

Inset: Timothy Schulz (Polk County Sheriff’s Office). Background: RaceTrac gas station in Polk County, Florida (WTVT/YouTube).

Florida deputies shot and killed a man who they say attacked them with garden shears and broke into a patrol vehicle where he tried to swipe a shotgun — all after an alligator bit him when he went for a dip in a lake.

The incident unfolded around 6 a.m. at a RaceTrac gas station on State Road 37 in Polk County, Sheriff Grady Judd said in a press conference. A gas station clerk called deputies that a “bizarre” man was at the gas station asking to call his son. Deputies arrived but couldn’t find him. Then nearly two hours later, deputies received a call about a man swimming in an alligator-infested lake.

Love true crime? Sign up for our newsletter, The Law&Crime Docket, to get the latest real-life crime stories delivered right to your inbox.

One person tried to throw the man a life preserver but he refused to take it.

“Another witness tried to talk to him and he said ‘he growled at me so I ran in the house and locked the door,”” Judd said.

Deputies arrived to find the man walking out of the lake with an apparent alligator bite on his arm. Then he tried to break into a car with a brick before he attacked deputies with garden shears, according to Judd.

More from Law&Crime: ‘Oh, I am a p—y?’: Checkers employee climbs through drive-thru window, shoots customer dead after dispute over mayonnaise request, cops say

The sheriff said his deputies tried to de-escalate the situation and used their Tasers. But that didn’t work. He then allegedly tried entering the passenger door of the deputy patrol vehicle and steal a shotgun.

“At that moment in time all the warnings had to stop and the action had to begin,” Judd. “That’s when they shot him enough to stop the threat.”

Share and Follow
You May Also Like

Alabama Arrest: Man Charged with Threatening Synagogues Sparks Nationwide Concern

On Monday evening, an Alabama resident was taken into custody following reports…

Walmart Employee Involved in Parking Lot Collision with Colleague

Share In a tragic incident outside a Texas Walmart, a young man…

Ongoing Search Intensifies for Missing 9-Year-Old California Girl, Melodee Buzzard

The search intensifies for 9-year-old Melodee Buzzard, a young girl from California…

Independent Autopsy Ordered in Investigation of Student Found Hanging on College Campus

An independent autopsy is currently underway for a Mississippi student found hanging…

Shocking Incident: Mother Accused of Assaulting Son with Phone – Details Unveiled

Background: The apartment building on the 500 block of Northwest 7th Street…

Explosive Trial: Suspect in Trump Threat Case Takes on DOJ with Fiery Defense

Left: Peter Stinson (Alexandria (Va.) Sheriff’s Office). Right: President Donald Trump attends…

Intruder Arrested After Disturbing Home Break-In and Harassment Incident

On Tuesday, authorities in Pennsylvania apprehended a registered sex offender involved in…

Man Detained After Alleged Machete Threat at Local Business

In Gainesville, Florida, a man identified as Isidro Coste Roman, also known…