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Florida deputies shoot and kill man allegedly threatening people at a prayer center

Deputy-involved shooting Plant City
Posted at 6:39 AM, May 07, 2024
and last updated 2024-05-07 18:21:09-04

PLANT CITY, Fla — Hillsborough County Sheriff's deputies shot a man who was allegedly banging on the window of a prayer center in Plant City and threatening to kill people.

According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, deputies were called to a prayer center at the 2900 block of South Frontage Rd in Plant City around 2:30 a.m. When deputies arrived, they saw a man armed with some kind of metal object outside the center.

Deputies started to attempt to talk to the man, but HCSO said he was acting erratic and kicking the center's gate. According to HCSO, the metal object the man was carrying turned out to be a railroad tie.

BODY CAMERA VIDEO FROM HCSO

BODY CAM VIDEO: Florida deputies shoot and kill man allegedly threatening people at a prayer center

Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister said deputies fired a BolaWrap at the person. A BolaWrap is a non-lethal restrain used to restrain a person without causing significant harm to the person. However, that had no effect on the man, HCSO said.

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Deputies then used a taser-like weapon on the man, but the sheriff's office said it had no effect.

Sheriff Chronister said two deputies then fired at the man, killing him. Chronister said it is unknown how many shots were fired at the man at this time.

"Our deputies showed extraordinary professionalism and exhausted every less lethal option to preserve life before this fatal outcome," said Sheriff Chronister

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