Thursday May 4th, FCSO was alerted to a man swinging a rifle around while stumbling along the road in the area of Mahogany Boulevard.
Deputy First Class Prevatt was able to quickly locate the armed person near Mahogany and Hickory in the Mondex. The person did not comply with the commands from the deputy.
Deputy First Class Prevatt was able to hold the armed subject at gunpoint while she requested that FCSO stream her body cam footage to the FCSO’s Real Time Crime Center for virtual backup. This allowed her to keep both hands on her rifle and focus on the armed subject which allowed for the situation to be completely monitored and information to be relayed to deputies who were in route as backup, including when the armed subject fired a shot into the air while the subject was engaged with DFC Prevatt.
Additional units responded and while initially the subject was uncooperative, they were able to de-escalate the situation and arrest the armed subject without further incident.
“DFC Prevatt showcased the extensive training our Deputies go through to diffuse a hostile situation while using the physical and virtual equipment available to them to ensure the safety of themselves, other Deputies, and the public,” said Sheriff Rick Staly. “I also commend the citizens that called in ‘seeing something, saying something’ of the subject’s reckless behavior. The actions of our deputies and the callers likely prevented a more serious incident from occurring.”
The subject, Almeida, was arrested and charged with Possession of a Firearm as a Convicted Felon, Possession of Ammo as a Convicted Felon, Discharging a Firearm in Public, Openly Carrying a Firearm, and Resisting Arrest without Violence. An investigation is ongoing and more charges may be pending.
