Knife Weilding Man Shot By Sarasota Police After Robbery

A word of caution, the images, and information in the video may be disturbing. Anytime a police officer uses force to arrest a suspect or defend against an attack, it can be graphic and difficult to watch. Strong language is used by those shown in the video, and viewer discretion is advised.******

The Sarasota Police Department is investigating a robbery just after 10 a.m. on Tuesday, November 15, 2022. This robbery call led to an officer-involved shooting that the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) is investigating.

An 83-year-old woman, the victim in the robbery, told Sarasota Police officers she finished shopping at the Publix, 501 N. Beneva Road, Sarasota and was pushing her groceries to her car. After unloading the cart, the victim said she was approached by the suspect, who tried to take her purse off her shoulder. The suspect is a 71-year-old man from Sarasota.

The victim struggled with the suspect, said he had something shiny in his hand, and threatened her with it. A witness, an adult man, saw what was happening and tried to help the victim. The suspect started to leave the area, and the witness followed him, videoing him with his phone while calling 911.

The suspect continued walking southbound through the McDonald’s parking lot across from the Homewood Suites, 3470 Fruitville Road, Sarasota. The suspect crossed Fruitville Road, was holding a knife, and was confronted by a Sarasota Police officer in the parking lot of the Homewood Suites between two parked cars.

The officer took his firearm, pointed it at the suspect, and ordered him to drop the knife and get on the ground multiple times. After the officer commanded the suspect to get on the ground and drop the knife, the suspect advanced toward the officer aggressively with a knife in his hand. The suspect was told again to stop, drop the knife and get on the ground. The suspect took several steps toward the officer, and the officer fired his weapon.

The suspect was taken to Sarasota Memorial Hospital and is in stable condition. The uninjured officer will be placed on paid administrative leave, which is standard procedure. The FDLE is the lead law enforcement agency investigating the officer-involved shooting, and the Sarasota Police Department Criminal Investigations Division is the lead law enforcement agency investigating the armed robbery. The suspect is facing charges of Aggravated Assault with a Weapon without Intent to Kill and Armed Robbery.