Polk County, Florida Sheriff Grady Judd said deputies shot and killed a man who charged deputies with garden shears and tried to grab a gun from a patrol vehicle, all after he was attacked by an alligator while swimming across a lake.
Judd told reporters on Monday that 42-year-old Timothy Shultz was shot and killed after threatening to harm his deputies earlier in the day.
Deputies responded to reports at about 6 a.m. on Monday of a man who was at a Racetrack who was acting “bizarre” and “shaking,” while asking to call his son.
When deputies arrived, they searched for the man for about 40 minutes without success. Then, just before 7:45 a.m., a caller said there was a white guy in a nearby lake that is filled with alligators, with one alligator near the man. The caller told the operator the man “must be drunk or high or something,” Judd said.
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Deputies learned one witness tried to give the man, later identified as Shultz, a life preserver, though he would not take it. Another witness tried to speak with Shultz, but told deputies he growled at the witness, so they ran into the house and locked the door.
When deputies arrived, Shultz was seen walking from the lake to an area between houses while holding a set of garden shears.
He also reportedly tried to break into a truck by throwing a brick into the vehicle.
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Investigators spoke to one witness who was walking her dog at the time, and she said the man charged at deputies while holding the shears.
Judd told reporters the woman questioned why deputies waited so long to shoot, but the sheriff said his deputies were trying to de-escalate the situation.
“We also tried to tase him on two different occasions, and he continued to charge at them,” Judd said, adding that deputies backed up and told Shultz to throw the shears down.
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Eventually, Shultz climbed into the passenger side of a patrol vehicle that was running, Judd said. Shultz also allegedly tried to grab a rifle or the shotgun out of its holder, and at that moment, the deputies shot him multiple times and killed him.
“It’s important to focus on this for a second: He tried to assault my deputies with shears,” Judd said. “Then he jumped into their vehicle, which is an armed burglary with shears. Trying to get the rifle and or the shotgun out at that moment in time, all the warnings had to stop, and the action had to begin, and that’s when they shot him enough to stop the threat.”
Judd told reporters Shultz’s criminal record is “long,” adding that he had multiple methamphetamine arrests. He also said Shultz was released from jail on May 20.
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“I’ve said this over and over, and I’ll continue to say it: There are still people that want to make the community, or the nation, believe that drugs are low level and nonviolent,” he said. “Well, here’s your sign.”
Judd said Shultz was swimming across the lake and got really close to an alligator, appearing to be bitten by an alligator in his right arm.
“You know, that’s gotta be true. You can’t make it up, and, as a result, this is one more example of how violent people are when they use meth and use drugs,” Judd said. “When you can swim across the lake, sustain apparent alligator bites, grab shears, try to break into a vehicle, attack law enforcement officers, jump into their car, try to get their rifle and shotgun…you’re out of your mind on drugs. And it’s not his first time. He’s dead.”
“Quite frankly, his conduct was outrageous…it was bizarre,” the sheriff added. “Our deputies, by the way, are going home safe tonight.”
