Deputies Fatally Shoot Gunman While He Was Inside The Bathtub

Posted • December 10, 2024: Two Hillsborough County deputies shot and killed a man in a bathtub after he pointed a gun at them Saturday night, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office. The deputies were responding to a 9-1-1 call in Tampa at the 10000 block of Courtney Palm Blvd. from a family member who said they heard gunfire coming from the bathroom and were concerned their loved one may have committed suicide. When Deputies Jose Rodriguez and Jenna Roberts arrived at the home, they went to the bathroom, where they found 67-year-old Anthony Dadante in the bathtub with blood on his chest and a gun in his hand. The deputies asked Dadante to drop the gun several times before he pointed the gun at Deputy Rodriguez, and both deputies shot Dadante. Sheriff Chad Chronister said the deputies made the right decision in the midst of a life-threatening situation. "What began as a response to a potential suicide changed into a life-threatening confrontation that no deputy ever wants to face," said Chronister. "Our deputies had to make a tough decision in an instant, and it was the right one."