RIVERVIEW, Fla. — A man was shot by a Hillsborough County deputy on Sunday after he was accused of pointing a gun at the law enforcement officer during a Riverview domestic violence call.
Manuel Alvarez, 50, was listed in critical condition, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO).
At about 3:47 a.m., the HCSO received a call that Alvarez, the boyfriend of the victim, attacked the woman and lit the bedroom on fire at the home on the 10500 block of Lake Montauk Drive.
HCSO officials said Alvarez had lit a fake plant and a few other items on fire, but they were extinguished when deputies arrived.
The victim had a contusion forming on the right side of her face when deputies arrived, said Sheriff Chad Chronister.
Deputies then attempted to contact Alvarez, who was in an upstairs bedroom. However, he threatened to shoot deputies, said Chronister.
When Deputy Shawn Swinford opened the door, Alvarez had a firearm and was in a “firing position,” Chronister said.
Watch the body camera video of the incident provided by HCSO (Video is edited to not show the suspect being shot)
Swinford then fired his weapon, striking Alvarez twice in the upper torso.
Alvarez was undergoing surgery at Tampa General Hospital.
He has no criminal history. However, he was Baker Acted by the Tampa Police Department in 2022, Chronister said.
Swinford, 35, was hired by HCSO in July of 2024 after eight years of law enforcement experience in Indiana.
Swinford was placed on paid administrative leave and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement will conduct the investigation.
Brides, families fighting for refunds after event venue closes suddenly
“We’ve struggled so hard to scrape the money to be able to do this for her,” Irizarry said. “She’s my only girl and I wanted this so much for her.”
Couples and families who had weddings and events planned at a well-known venue that abruptly closed claim they’re out thousands of dollars and aren’t being given refunds. Annette Irizarry was supposed to hold her 15-year-old daughter’s quinceañera in August at the Clearwater location and said she’s now out the $6,160 she paid. Without that money, Irizarry said she can’t afford to have her daughter’s celebration somewhere else.
