Brandon police have charged a 23-year-old man with assaulting an officer with a weapon and resisting arrest.
On Tuesday around 4 p.m., the man was approached by police behind a restaurant on the 400 block of 10th Street in Brandon. According to police, when the man provided his name, the officer checking him believed the one he provided was false.
BPS said the man displayed erratic behavior, and the officer determined he was impaired by a drug or other substance. Police then tried to arrest the man for public mischief.
A patrol officer assisted in arresting the subject and as he was being handcuff, the man began to resist by pushing back at the officers and pulling his arms away, police said.
Police explained that as one of the officers took control of the man’s right arm, they observed he was holding a knife in his hand.
While continuing to control the man’s arm, the officers repeatedly told him to drop the knife, but he did not comply, BPS said. The man was taken down to the ground and continued to resist the officers.
Police said a Taser was deployed and the man dropped the knife, but continued to struggle with the officers – further application of the Taser was then required in order to handcuff the man.
“Members were presented with a very dangerous situation,” Sgt. Bill Brown said. “Our members acted with great restraint, using the training and tools used to gain compliance without serious injury to anyone.”
Once more officers arrived on scene the man was subdued and arrested.
BPS said no one was injured in the incident.
The man, who is from Brandon, has been charged with assaulting a police officer with a weapon, resisting arrest, carrying a concealed weapon and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose.
He will appear in court on Wednesday.
