A Florida man who survived a suspected alligator bite during an ill-advised swim in predator-infested waters was fatally shot by deputies hours later after reportedly attacking them.
Meth user unaffected by alligator bite
Authorities say the man was acting erratically and was likely under the influence of methamphetamine.
According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, the chaotic series of events began shortly after 6 a.m. Monday when staff at a RaceTrac gas station reported an a patron behaving strangely.
The man, identified as 42-year-old Timothy Schultz, had entered the gas station and requested assistance in contacting his son.
By the time deputies arrived to investigate the situation, Schultz had already left the area.
Roughly two hours later, law enforcement received another call about a man swimming in a lake known to be teeming with alligators.
Sheriff Grady Judd told reporters during a press conference that Schultz had entered the dangerous waters despite visible warnings and attempts by bystanders to intervene.
Judd said that one witness tried to warn him about the gators and another threw a life vest to him.
He said that during the swim, Schultz appeared to have been bitten on the right arm by an alligator.
Despite the alligator bite, Schultz emerged from the lake and continued on foot, eventually obtaining a pair of garden shears from a residence nearby.
Drug addict goes on rampage after alligator bite
“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 recounted.
From there, Schultz allegedly approached a truck and attempted to damage the vehicle by striking it with a brick.
According to the sheriff, Schultz’s behavior grew increasingly violent and unpredictable, likely driven by the effects of methamphetamine.
“The fact that he was bitten by an alligator significantly and still continued his rampage is shocking,” Judd stated.
“But if you’re on enough meth, then the person you see is not the person that’s attacking.”
When deputies reached the location where Schultz was last seen, the situation escalated. He allegedly charged at the responding officers while wielding the shears.
Two attempts to subdue him with a taser failed, according to Judd. Schultz then reportedly opened the door of a patrol vehicle and entered through the passenger side.
“At that moment in time all the warnings had to stop and the action had to begin,” Judd said. “That’s when they shot him enough to stop the threat.”
Judd confirmed that multiple shots were fired during the confrontation. Schultz died from his injuries at the scene.
“At that time our deputies shot. They shot multiple times,” Judd stated. “And as a result, Timothy is deceased.”
No deputies were injured during the incident, and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office later posted a statement on Facebook confirming that the officers involved would be placed on administrative leave pending a standard investigation.
Sheriff Judd raised the possibility that Schultz may have deliberately instigated a fatal outcome.
“I don’t know if this was suicide by cop or a suicide by being absolutely out of your mind on methamphetamine but he showed no fear of two deputies. He showed no interest in complying,” he said.
Schultz, according to Judd, had a lengthy arrest record and a history of methamphetamine-related charges.
Records show that he had been released from jail on May 20 following an arrest for possession of the drug, the sheriff’s office wrote in a social media post.
Fort Lauderdale boat explosion under investigation
Elsewhere in Florida, authorities are investigating a separate incident involving a boat explosion that occurred Monday evening.
Thirteen people were aboard the vessel when it exploded near Fort Lauderdale’s New River Triangle just before 6 p.m., the U.S. Coast Guard’s District 7 reported.
Footage captured by NBC News shows the moment flames erupted from the boat as crowds celebrated Memorial Day nearby.
Frank Guzman, a spokesperson for Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue, described the area as a popular gathering spot on holidays.
“At around 9th Street, there’s a sandbar where people congregate on days like today, and for reasons that we don’t know yet, a boat exploded,” Guzman told reporters.
Witnesses recounted hearing a loud blast, followed by cries for help as passengers were thrown into the water. Bystanders quickly jumped in to assist the injured.
Guzman said that 11 boaters, including two children, were transported to local hospitals, with several suffering from severe burns. A dog on board was rescued unharmed.
“Just got burned in the boat explosion just now. Tried to fuel up the boat must have been a gas leak and you know, a spark went off, explosion,” one injured person told WPLG Local 10.
“The other people, their legs are ripped up to shreds. The guy’s pants were blown off, so it was bad.”
Some of the burn victims were transferred to the Jackson Memorial Hospital Burn Center due to the severity of their injuries.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Fort Lauderdale Police Department, and fire officials are currently investigating the explosion.
