OAKLAND PARK, Fla. — A deputy-involved shooting occurred Friday evening in Oakland Park after Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies spent hours trying to negotiate with a man who had barricaded himself inside an apartment while armed with a knife, authorities said.
Shortly before 6 p.m., Broward County Regional Communications received a report of a man armed with a knife in the 800 block of West Oakland Park Boulevard.
BSO deputies and Oakland Park Fire Rescue responded to the scene. Authorities said the suspect retreated into an apartment and barricaded himself inside.
As a precaution, surrounding apartments were evacuated. BSO’s K-9, SWAT and Violent Crimes units also responded, authorities confirmed.
Deputies said they spent several hours attempting to communicate with the suspect and persuade him to surrender peacefully. At some point during the response, deputies made contact with the individual and a deputy-involved shooting occurred.
They said Oakland Park Fire Rescue personnel transported the suspect to Broward Health Medical Center for treatment. No other injuries were reported.
Deputies later conducted safety sweeps to ensure residents could safely return to their homes.
A neighbor told Local 10 that she noticed that something wasn’t right the night before.
“He was literally unloading his entire apartment into the bulk trash at 12 o’clock, and I was like, ‘That’s kind of weird,’” said Alana Pruitt, who was evacuated from her home. “And this morning, I heard him screaming, which woke me up. I walked outside, and he was emptying his house out. I guess, basically, he threatened my neighbor with a knife, and here we are.”
Nathaniel Peer, another resident who was evacuated, said the situation quickly escalated as information about the suspect spread among neighbors.
“I heard knife ... then he talked about threatening with a gun. Then he said, ‘I had a bomb.’ I don’t know, it was just kind of crazy,” Peer said. “My mom came from work. As soon as she got here, there was an evacuation order, but I just got here as fast as I could.”
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating the circumstances surrounding the shooting. BSO’s Internal Affairs Unit will also conduct an internal investigation.
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