An 81-year-old mentally ill woman was shot and killed after allegedly attacking a Florida sheriff with a knife, the Sumter County Sheriff's Office said.
Just after 11 p.m. Monday, authorities responded to the Rails End mobile home in Wildwood, about 82 miles northwest of Orlando, “in reference to a female who was in distress and had a psychotic seizure,” according to a news release from the sheriff's office. He was called to the park.
Authorities said the woman, identified as Janet Sowers, called 911 and said, “There's a dead person in here,” before hanging up.
Rescue workers secured the area outside her home until police were able to secure the scene, the sheriff's office said.
As prosecutors investigated whether her claims were “genuine or mentally unstable,” Sours pulled a knife from her back and lunged at the officer, who “attempted to stab her.” The statement states that.
Authorities said the deputy “took evasive action while retreating, while simultaneously drawing and firing his service weapon,” striking Sours.
Rescue workers attempted life-saving measures at the scene and the man was taken to hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.
Sowers' son-in-law, John Sowers, 66, said he always remembered Janet telling her father, who died in 2018, that he was “so happy” and “amazing.”
“As soon as I met her, I really liked her. We grew to love her,” he said Thursday.
However, over the past few months, he noticed “a change in Janet” and that she was “rambling” unintelligible things.
“I mean, she said some things that just didn't make sense, but I never once heard her say anything threatening about anyone or anything like that.”
John Sowers questioned why the deputy did not use less lethal methods during the interaction with Janet, who said she had knee replacement surgery in December.
“If police officers are that weak or fearful, they don't need to be in that profession,” he says. “Police today have other types of weapons at their disposal, including Tasers, pepper spray, and a variety of non-lethal weapons. To me, that seemed like an excessive use of force. Masu.”
The Sumter County Sheriff's Office declined to answer questions about the shooting, citing an ongoing investigation. A spokesperson said the deputy has been placed on administrative leave, which is standard procedure, pending the outcome of the investigation.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is handling the investigation. The agency did not respond to a request for comment Thursday.
