Florida Deputies Tase Sword-Wielding Burglary Suspect
Body camera footage captures the tense confrontation in Gainesville.
Deputies in Alachua County, Florida, tased a sword-wielding suspect early Tuesday after he allegedly forced his way into an occupied home and refused commands to drop the weapon. The incident, captured on body camera, occurred in Gainesville.
According to the Alachua County Sheriff's Office, a caller reported that a man armed with a sword had entered their home and forced them outside. Responding deputies encountered the suspect, identified as 26-year-old Josiah Smith.
Body camera footage shows a deputy repeatedly ordering Smith to drop the sword and stop approaching. When Smith remained non-compliant, deputies deployed a taser, causing him to fall backward and be detained.
The sheriff's office stated that deputies initially attempted to use a less-lethal launcher to get Smith to drop the sword, but it was unsuccessful. The taser deployment followed.
An investigation determined that Smith and the alleged victim did not know each other. Smith has been arrested and faces charges including armed burglary of an occupied dwelling, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, armed kidnapping, and resisting without violence.