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Man with homemade explosive injures Polk County deputy, sheriff's office says

No law enforcement officers fired any weapons.

DUNDEE, Fla. — A Polk County deputy was hospitalized after being injured by a homemade explosive device at a motel in Dundee.

The 33-year-old deputy had responded to a disturbance around 9:30 p.m. Sunday at the Economy Motor Lodge on US-27. Arriving authorities were pointed to a woman on a bench at the neighboring motel that had been involved in a disturbance.

That’s when investigators say 39-year-old Marco Antonio Tolentino, who didn’t have anything to do with the original disturbance call, rode up on a bicycle without a light. A deputy tried to talk to Tolentino, who authorities said was evasive and "suspicious."

During a press conference Monday, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said Tolentino did not have any identification on him and gave the deputy two to three different names, some of which were "inappropriate."

When asked if he had anything illegal on him, the sheriff’s office said Tolentino lifted his shirt to expose a metal pipe known as a zip gun or improvised firearm. 

As both the deputy and Tolentino reached for the weapon, law enforcement says it came apart and there was an "explosion.” A 12-gauge shotgun buckshot round hit the deputy’s left hand and Tolentino’s arm and shoulder, investigators say.

"I'm sorry to report to you that the deputy has lost two fingers as a result of that, his index finger and his middle finger," Judd said. "But at the same time, I'm pleased to tell you that he's alive and well and will come back to work in a short period of time."

Both men are still hospitalized for their injuries but are stable, according to Judd. The deputy is expected to be released by Monday afternoon.

Credit: Polk County Sheriff's Office
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd shows an image of the improvised firearm that caused a deputy to lose two fingers.

Deputies say Tolentino later described the homemade device as “a tube” that he made himself and carries for protection. It has two interlocking pieces of metal pipe that can hold a single shotgun shell.

According to Judd, Tolentino told the sheriff's office he learned to make the homemade explosive devices by watching online videos.

“When pressed together, the device is designed to fire the single projectile,” the sheriff’s office explained in a statement. “The device contained a single spent 12 gauge round (Winchester- 00 buck shot). During a search of Tolentino’s room, additional shotgun rounds of the same nature were located and recovered.”

Tolentino does not have a concealed carry license, authorities say.

"So, this really was the bad news, good news story of a rather bizarre officer-involved shooting when the officer was shot by the suspect during the struggle over what our deputy thought was a pipe," Judd said.

The longtime sheriff added that both men are lucky to be alive given the device "could have blown both of their heads off."

"The good Lord was just with us last night or there would've been children without a father and a wife without a wonderful husband," Judd said.

Tolentino was charged with attempted murder, possessing or discharging a destructive device, resisting an officer with violence, carrying a concealed weapon, and providing false information to a law enforcement officer.

No deputies fired any weapons.

The State Attorney’s Office was alerted, which is standard protocol in such situations.

There will be three independent investigations: a criminal investigation by the sheriff’s office, an internal administrative inquiry, and a separate review by the State Attorney’s Office.

The deputy injured in the incident has been with the sheriff's office since 2011.

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