DAVENPORT, Fla. — An overnight police standoff in Polk County is once again raising questions about our state’s mental health system.
The suspect, who eventually surrendered, has been visited by deputies on more than two dozen occasions.
“It was just the good Lord looking out for us last night,” said Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, referring to Lt. Mike Baldwin.
To say Baldwin had a brush with a bullet is no exaggeration.
The sheriff’s office released a photo of Baldwin’s shoe and uniform pant leg, showing where a bullet allegedly fired by the suspect had struck the deputy during an overnight standoff in Davenport.
The bullet didn’t draw blood, but it knocked Baldwin off his feet.
Judd identified the suspect as 20-year-old Zachary Stinson, a man who the sheriff said has been Baker Acted at least 10 times in the past for mental health issues.
Between complaints and follow-ups, Judd says they’ve been to Stinson’s house 28 times.
“What is happening with the mental health system? Why didn’t he get help?” asked Judd, who has advocated for changes in Florida’s mental health laws. That includes the Baker Act, which allows officials to detain a person whom they deem to be a threat to themselves or others for up to 72 hours.
This time, Judd says Stinson’s adopted father called 911. Zachary, apparently angry over his dad going on a date, spray painted an inside wall, urinated on the bed and refused to let his father leave.
Judd blamed the revolving door system and lawmakers who haven’t changed it.
“But the legislators aren’t coming out tonight and being shot at,” said the sheriff. “Or they would do something about it.”
Judd says Stinson’s adopted father had several guns in the house, some of which were still sitting outside the home Thursday as deputies gathered evidence. Investigators say Stinson was able to get his hands on the weapons despite being under lock and key.
When deputies got there, Judd says Stinson had barricaded himself in the house and then fired seven shots through the front and back windows.
Judd says a Haines City police officer fired two shots into the house when Stinson started shooting, but neither of those bullets hit the suspect.
Some neighbors were moved away from the home for their protection. Others could hear what was going on from blocks away.
“Helicopters woke us up at first,” said Ryan Lawrence, who lives down the street. “And then it sounded like three firecrackers. Pop, pop pop.”
“It’s more unsettling that this guy was in trouble,” said neighbor Nick Hossain. “And he didn’t get the help that he needed.”
After firing tear gas into the house, deputies finally got Stinson to surrender peacefully.
“And he had a haircut,” said Judd. “He actually shaved off all his head.”
Meanwhile, the close shave with Lieutenant Baldwin’s pant leg also earned Stinson a serious charge of attempted murder of a law-enforcement officer, “Because that bullet could’ve just as easily been between my deputy’s eyes as through the boot,” said Judd.
“Certainly, he is responsible for his conduct and he is not mentally ill to the point that he did not know what he was doing,” said the sheriff. “He was well aware of what he was doing.”
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