CHARLOTTE COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) — A Florida deputy was attacked by a 14-year-old boy while on patrol Thursday, according to the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office.
According to a release from the sheriff’s office, the deputy spotted the boy riding a bike in Babcock Ranch, Florida, just after 2 a.m. A nightly curfew is in effect for the area under the state of emergency for Hurricane Ian.
The boy told the deputy he was fishing in the area despite not having any fishing equipment, according to the sheriff’s office.
Deputies said the boy tried to walk away during the stop before turning around and hitting the deputy on the head. As the deputy tried to call for backup, “a struggle ensued” and the teen stabbed him behind the ear with a pocketknife, the sheriff’s office said.
The deputy was stabbed six times but was able to use a Taser and restrain the boy as he waited for help to arrive, the sheriff’s office said. The deputy was flown to a hospital for treatment and later released.
Deputies said the 14-year-old boy was a Babcock Ranch resident who told them he was planning to break into shuttered restaurants in the area. The sheriff’s office said that in addition to the pocketknife, he also had a hammer in his backpack.
