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Booby traps in knife-filled house hurt officers

Posted at 11:40 PM, Sep 17, 2015
and last updated 2015-09-17 23:40:01-04

Booby traps were set up at a home in Hernando County, which injured several Hernando County deputies Wednesday as they removed thousands of weapons.

It happened as law enforcement officials collected evidence after a standoff with a woman armed with knives and a machete (see original stories at https://shar.es/17Wnau and https://shar.es/17oLVg.

Forensic technicians and detectives worked throughout the day to remove 3,714 bladed weapons from the home of Nickcole Ellen Fay Dykema.

While removing items from the residence, several HCSO personnel received minor injuries that required treatment at a medical facility.

It is believed that Dykema "booby trapped" many of the bladed weapons, blankets, floors inside, and even the yard outside the residence, causing injury to our personnel when dismantling and/or removing these items.

For instance, deputies said, knives were hidden in the yard when deputies walked through. The heavy blankets had pins hidden in them, so when deputies grabbed them, they were injured. The handles of some blades had sharp objects on them and deputies were sliced.

All of them were in disguise or hidden from view, but deputies believe Dykema knew they were there.