Latest news with #alligator
CBS News
a day ago
- General
- CBS News
"Alligator Robb" know for capturing Chicago's "Chance the Snapper" speaking at Field Museum
Chicago's beloved wildlife expert Frank "Alligator" Robb will be a guest speaker at the Field Museum in June. Robb will speak as part of the museum's "Meet a Scientist" series on June 6. The alligator expert stepped in to capture "Chance the Snapper," an American alligator who became a citywide sensation in the summer of 2019 when he was spotted swimming in the Humboldt Park lagoon. Robb is the president and founder of a nonprofit organization leading studies on chemical exposure and its effects on wildlife and humans. He focuses on how pollutants impact DNA structures in alligators. The event is included with a general admission pass to the Field Museum. Robb will speak from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Fox News
4 days ago
- General
- Fox News
Florida man shot by deputies after alligator attack, charging officers with garden shears
Print Close By Greg Wehner Published May 27, 2025 Polk County, Florida Sheriff Grady Judd said deputies shot and killed a man who charged deputies with garden shears and tried to grab a gun from a patrol vehicle, all after he was attacked by an alligator while swimming across a lake. Judd told reporters on Monday that 42-year-old Timothy Shultz was shot and killed after threatening to harm his deputies earlier in the day. Deputies responded to reports at about 6 a.m. on Monday of a man who was at a Racetrack who was acting "bizarre" and "shaking," while asking to call his son. When deputies arrived, they searched for the man for about 40 minutes without success. Then, just before 7:45 a.m., a caller said there was a white guy in a nearby lake that is filled with alligators, with one alligator near the man. The caller told the operator the man "must be drunk or high or something," Judd said. FLORIDA WOMAN ESCAPES STORAGE CONTAINER SHE WAS BEING HELD IN AFTER BRUTAL ASSAULT: SHERIFF Deputies learned one witness tried to give the man, later identified as Shultz, a life preserver, though he would not take it. Another witness tried to speak with Shultz, but told deputies he growled at the witness, so they ran into the house and locked the door. When deputies arrived, Shultz was seen walking from the lake to an area between houses while holding a set of garden shears. He also reportedly tried to break into a truck by throwing a brick into the vehicle. TEXAS MAN CALLS 911 AFTER INJURING HIMSELF DURING ALLEGED CAR DEALERSHIP BREAK-IN Investigators spoke to one witness who was walking her dog at the time, and she said the man charged at deputies while holding the shears. Judd told reporters the woman questioned why deputies waited so long to shoot, but the sheriff said his deputies were trying to de-escalate the situation. "We also tried to tase him on two different occasions, and he continued to charge at them," Judd said, adding that deputies backed up and told Shultz to throw the shears down. FLORIDA MAN NABBED ALLEGEDLY TRYING TO OUTRUN TROOPERS WHILE WEARING DALMATIAN ONESIE Eventually, Shultz climbed into the passenger side of a patrol vehicle that was running, Judd said. Shultz also allegedly tried to grab a rifle or the shotgun out of its holder, and at that moment, the deputies shot him multiple times and killed him. "It's important to focus on this for a second: He tried to assault my deputies with shears," Judd said. "Then he jumped into their vehicle, which is an armed burglary with shears. Trying to get the rifle and or the shotgun out at that moment in time, all the warnings had to stop, and the action had to begin, and that's when they shot him enough to stop the threat." Judd told reporters Shultz's criminal record is "long," adding that he had multiple methamphetamine arrests. He also said Shultz was released from jail on May 20. NEIGHBORS' DISPUTE ESCALATES WHEN FLORIDA MAN ALLEGEDLY SLASHES WOMAN WITH KNIFE "I've said this over and over, and I'll continue to say it: There are still people that want to make the community, or the nation, believe that drugs are low level and nonviolent," he said. "Well, here's your sign." Judd said Shultz was swimming across the lake and got really close to an alligator, appearing to be bitten by an alligator in his right arm. "You know, that's gotta be true. You can't make it up, and, as a result, this is one more example of how violent people are when they use meth and use drugs," Judd said. "When you can swim across the lake, sustain apparent alligator bites, grab shears, try to break into a vehicle, attack law enforcement officers, jump into their car, try to get their rifle and shotgun…you're out of your mind on drugs. And it's not his first time. He's dead." CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP "Quite frankly, his conduct was outrageous…it was bizarre," the sheriff added. "Our deputies, by the way, are going home safe tonight." Print Close URL
The Guardian
4 days ago
- General
- The Guardian
Florida man was bitten by alligator in lake then shot by deputies, sheriff says
A Florida man was shot and killed by sheriff's deputies after he was bitten by an alligator during an early morning dip in a lake, then threatened the officers with garden shears as he attempted to enter their patrol vehicle, the sheriff said. Photos posted to social media by deputies in Polk county showed the aftermath of Monday's fatal, exceptionally chaotic events in Lakeland that ended with Timothy Schulz, 42, dead in what Grady Judd, the sheriff, called a 'rampage'. The images showed the officers' vehicle with a shattered windshield from multiple gunshots – and the shears on the passenger seat surrounded by shards of broken glass. Schulz received a bite on his right arm during his swim at a gated community lake with several alligators, Judd told a press conference, reported by CBS News. He was believed to be high on methamphetamine, the sheriff added. Deputies were earlier called to a nearby convenience store by a worker who reported a man acting strangely, shaking, and asking to call his son – but the person had disappeared by the time the members of the sheriff's office arrived. Judd said that about two hours later, at 7:43am, residents of the gated community called to report he was in the lake. He then emerged with a bloodied arm, picked up the shears that a neighbor had left in their yard, and attempted to smash a car window with a brick. When deputies arrived for the second time, Judd said, Schulz charged their vehicle while waving the shears, and tried to snatch their weapons, forcing them to fire. 'This is just crazy stuff, OK? You know that it's got to be true – you can't make it up,' said Judd, who added that his officers had twice tried to subdue the suspect with a stun gun. 'The fact that he was bitten by an alligator, significantly, and still continued his rampage is shocking,' Judd remarked. 'But if you're on enough meth, then the person you see is not the person that's attacking.' Neither of the responding officers was injured. Schulz has a history of drug-related arrests and was released on 20 May from a prison sentence for the possession of meth, the sheriff's office said in a social media post.
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Daily Mail
Man bit by ALLIGATOR is shot dead by cops during wild, drug-fueled rampage
A Florida man was shot dead by police moments after he emerged from alligator-infested waters while suffering from an apparent bite. Timothy Schulz, 42, charged at two sheriff's deputies with gardening shears, diving into the patrol car and trying to access a gun in the moments before he was shot. Schulz was known to authorities and faced methamphetamine charges just a week ago. On Monday morning, authorities responded to a call about Schulz behavior. The caller revealed he was at a racetrack, shaking and asking to call his son. Almost two hours later another witness spotted Schulz in Lakeland, south of Orlando. He was submerged in a lake known to be home to 'a lot' of alligators. Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd told reporters on Monday: 'The fact that he was bitten by an alligator and still continued his rampage is shocking. 'But if you're on enough meth, then the person you see is not the person that's attacking,' he added, according to CBS. The witness had attempted to pass Schulz a life vest while he was in the lake, but he refused to take it. He tried to climb inside the passenger side of the patrol car still holding the gardening shears (left) and making an effort to get his hands on the officers' gun Another witness told authorities he 'growled' when approached. He was treading water with just his head visible, but at one stage the witnesses reported seeing an alligator approach and bite his arm. After he emerged from the water, Schulz managed to obtain gardening shears, and was seen stalking a residential area holding them in his hands. He threw a brick at a truck, Judd added. When he noticed authorities, he charged at them with the shears, ignoring repeated warnings to drop the weapon. Per department policy, the deputies involved will now be placed on administrative leave pending a state investigation into the shooting Initially, he was fired upon using a stun gun, but it had little effect, authorities said. He then tried to climb inside the passenger side of the patrol car, making an effort to get his hands on the officers' gun. 'At that time our deputies shot multiple times,' Judd said. 'As a result, Timothy is deceased.' Per department policy, the deputies involved will now be placed on administrative leave pending a state investigation into the shooting.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
Deputies fatally shoot Florida man who survived apparent gator attack and tried to steal their gun, sheriff says
A Florida man who was apparently bitten while swimming in alligator-infested waters Monday morning was fatally shot after, officials said, he emerged from the lake and charged at sheriff's deputies with garden shears. Two deputies, including a trainee, opened fire on Timothy Schulz, 42, after they deployed a stun gun that appeared to have no effect and after Schulz tried to remove a firearm from their patrol cruiser, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd told reporters. 'The fact that he was bitten by an alligator and still continued his rampage is shocking,' Judd said. Authorities first responded to a call involving Schulz at 5:56 a.m., when he appeared at a racetrack shaking and asking to call his son, Judd said. Deputies who responded to the area could not find him, the sheriff said. Nearly two hours later, a witness spotted Schulz in Lakeland, south of Orlando, and reported that the man was in a lake with 'a lot' of alligators, Judd said. 'A witness actually took a life vest and tried to give it to him,' he said. 'He wouldn't take it.' Another witness told authorities that Schulz growled when the person tried talking to him. The witnesses reported that Schulz was treading water and that they could see only his head. At one point, an alligator appeared to bite his right arm, Judd said. After he emerged from the lake, Schulz was seen walking between houses in a residential area, carrying a pair of garden shears. At one point he threw a brick at a truck, Judd said. As deputies arrived, Judd said, they saw Schulz apparently trying to break into a vehicle and quickly got out of their cruiser. When Schulz charged at them with the shears, Judd said, they ordered him to drop the tool, then deployed the stun gun when he did not. Schulz climbed into the passenger side of the deputies' patrol vehicle and appeared to try and remove a rifle or shotgun, Judd said. "At that time our deputies shot multiple times," Judd said. "As a result, Timothy is deceased." He said the deputies will remain on administrative leave while the state's attorney's office reviews the shooting, per department policy. Judd said Schulz has faced several methamphetamine charges and was released from county jail most recently on May 20. An affidavit in that case says a deputy found a glass pipe in a backpack Schulz was carrying that tested positive for the drug. This article was originally published on
