Ocala Police Officer Heroically Shoots Hospitalized Bank Robber
Ocala police officer shoots bank robber at hospital
Ocala Police Officer Heroically Shoots Hospitalized Bank Robber
Ocala, FL – A bank robbery suspect who was being treated at a hospital, escaped during medical treatment and was shot by an Ocala Police Officer before being recaptured.
According to news sources, the suspect was arrested Wednesday afternoon, December 21, 2016 for an armed robbery at the Bank of America on State Road 40. During that arrest, the suspect fell and claimed to be injured, which is a common ploy by criminals to delay going to jail. He was taken to Ocala Regional Medical Center at Southwest First Avenue for treatment at 11:54 p.m. Police sources said the suspect’s handcuffs were removed so he could have X-rays, and that he attacked a female hospital staff member. He then grabbed a pair of scissors from a desk in the exam room and threatened an Ocala Police Officer and hospital staff with them. The suspect apparently never heard not to bring scissors to a gun fight.
The Ocala Police Officer commanded the suspect to drop the scissors multiple times, the suspect refused and was justifiably shot twice. Rodney Smith, Ocala Police Deputy Chief, said “In my opinion (the officer) saved a life. That’s doing the right thing.” He also said that “The suspect grabbed medical personnel, armed himself with scissors, made threats to the medical personnel and to our officers, which led to the officer shooting the suspect.” The suspect remains hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries and is expected to survive. When he is released from the hospital, he will be transported to the Marion County Jail. Shockingly, Deputy Chief Smith said that the suspect had a previous criminal history.
The female hospital staff member who was attacked by the suspect received minor injuries and was treated at the hospital. The Ocala Police Officer has been with the OPD for more than 25 years. Florida Department of Law Enforcement officials will conduct the investigation into the shooting, which is standard procedure. This incident was the first officer-involved shooting of the year for the Ocala Police Department. The Ocala Police Officer was not injured and he was not identified. The suspect’s name was also not released.
We commend this Ocala Police Officer, who is a true hero, for his courage and commitment to the safety of the citizens of Ocala, Florida. Also, let’s not forget to commend him on his intestinal fortitude to withstand another bogus hospital detail.
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