Man shot after allegedly charging at Florida deputy with knives

VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) – Florida Law Enforcement officials are investigating after a deputy shot and injured a Samsula man after he allegedly charged at them with knives.

On Sunday, deputies with the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office responded to a home in New Smyrna Beach after Michael Collmar, 43, was said to be “acting erratically” with two knives.

Police said the call came in just after 1 p.m. and was the second call in three weeks about Collmar acting this way.

Officers had previously gone to the residence on Jan. 17, after Collmar’s mother reported that he was armed and screaming. During that incident, officials said Collmar did not respond to the deputies’ attempts to communicate with him.

Deputies reported that Sunday’s situation was similar to the one last month.

According to a press release , deputies attempted to negotiate with Collmar, but he did not agree to put the knives down. Deputies said they attempted to subdue him with multiple taser deployments and a “less lethal” shotgun, but it didn’t work.

Police said at one point, Collmar charged at a deputy, who shot him. Responding officers issued life-saving aid before he was taken to the hospital for his injuries. No one else was injured, according to officials.

Deputies shared they’ve been called to the home for issues involving Collmar five times so far this year. NBC Affiliate WESH reported that the neighbors have been living on edge.

“It’s kind of unnerving to come home and see down the road a bunch of police cars and crime scene tape. You know, it’s like what happened?” neighbor Vickie Lucksan told WESH.

Sheriff Mike Chitwood said the address has been flagged so responding personnel know not to go to the residence alone.

Police said Collmar has a lengthy criminal record and was recently released from prison after serving four years for stabbing a man multiple times in 2017.

On Monday, Chitwood held a press conference where he gave updates on Collmar and the incident. The sheriff said the 43-year-old is bipolar and schizophrenic. He said Collmar’s parents have refused to have him be placed into mental health evaluation and care under the Baker Act .

According to the University of Florida’s explanation of The Baker Act, the law enables families and loved ones to provide emergency mental health services and temporary detention for people who are impaired because of their mental illness, and who are unable to determine their treatment needs.

“The guy is off the rails,” Chitwood said. “I don’t know what more we could have done. It’s a matter of time before the parents end up dead with this guy.”

WESH reported that the sheriff showed bodycam footage of the incident during the press conference.

Chitwood gave an update on Collmar and stated that he’s in stable condition, but needs to undergo surgery. WESH said the sheriff believes Collmar was on a “meth binge.”

According to the outlet, Chitwood received a message from the woman who shares a child with Collar pleading to not let him out of jail, “because she knows how dangerous he is.”

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating the shooting.

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