Florida Man Dies in Police Shooting After Surviving Apparent Gator Attack

A 42-year-old man survived an apparent alligator bite before being shot and killed by law enforcement in Florida early Monday morning after approaching them with garden shears, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said during a press conference.

Timothy Schultz had been the subject of several 911 calls before he approached sheriff’s deputies with the shears. One of those callers told law enforcement that Schultz was in a lake surrounded by alligators and had growled at people who tried to offer him help.

“It appears that his right arm is bitten by an alligator,” Judd told reporters, “So apparently he was attacked by an alligator while in the lake as well.”

He added: “The fact that he was bitten by an alligator significantly and still continued his rampage is shocking.”

Newsweek has reached out to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office for additional information via email Monday evening.

The Context

Before Monday’s fatal event, Schultz was arrested in April and had been released from jail less than a week ago, Judd said.

The sheriff added that the 42-year-old had an extensive criminal history that included at least five arrests for methamphetamine, emphasizing he believed that Schultz may have been on the drug during the deadly encounter with sheriff’s deputies.

What To Know

The first call to 911 was a gas station just before 6 a.m. local time, reporting that Schultz was shaking and asking to call his son, according to Judd.

While deputies responded within minutes, they were unable to find Schultz after 40 minutes of searching. But just moments after the first search ended, more calls came in about a man swimming in a lake surrounded by alligators.

Additional witnesses reported to 911 that they had tried to give the man a life preserver and talk to him, but he had only responded by growling.

“Quite frankly, his conduct was outrageous. It was bizarre,” Judd told reporters.

When deputies arrived, Schultz allegedly first tried to use a brick to break into a car before approaching them with garden shears he picked up from a nearby lawn, Judd said.

One of the deputies was still in training, according to Judd.

The deputies attempted to deescalate the situation and even deployed a taser twice, but Schultz was able to get into the passenger side of a patrol vehicle and attempted to access the gun inside.

That is when, Judd said “the action had to begin.”

Deputies then fired multiple rounds, killing Schultz, according to Judd.

“I don’t know if this is a suicide by cop or it’s suicide by being absolutely out of your mind on methamphetamine, but he showed no fear of two deputies. He showed no interest in complying,” Judd explained. “Even after he was tased, he still ran. And one of our witnesses said, I don’t know why the deputies waited so long before they shot.”

What People Are Saying

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said during a press conference: “You’re not going to pull guns at our deputies. You’re not going to pull garden shears at our deputies. You’re not going to break into the car and try to get their rifle. You’re not going to assault feloniously our deputies. You’re just not going to do that, and if you do, we’re going to shoot you, just enough so that you don’t want to ever do that again or can’t do that ever again.”

What Happens Next?

Judd said the deputies involved will remain on normal administrative leave until the initial investigation is completed, as is mandatory for officer involved shootings.

Once that initial investigation is completed, the officers involved will be able to return to their duties, Judd said.