CHARLOTTE COUNTY, Fla. — A Charlotte County Sheriff's Office deputy is recovering after being stabbed multiple times in the head by a teen with a pocketknife, according to the agency.
The sheriff's office said it happened around 2 a.m. Thursday while the deputy was out on patrol in Babcock Ranch. The sheriff's office said the county is currently under a curfew in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian. The agency said the deputy stopped a "suspicious" 14-year-old riding a bicycle in the area near the Lake House Kitchen and Grill.
The teen told the deputy he was fishing in the area, but the agency said the teen didn't have any fishing equipment with him. The sheriff's office said the teen started to walk away, but then turned around and started hitting the deputy on the top of his head, causing "substantial" bleeding and injury.
A struggle between the teen and deputy resulted in the teen stabbing the deputy behind the ear six times with a pocketknife, the sheriff's office reported. The deputy radioed for backup and was eventually able to Taser and subdue the teen until backup arrived.
The deputy was then flown to the hospital for treatment, and the sheriff's office said he is recovering at home.
Deputies said the 14-year-old was wearing gloves and had not only a pocketknife on him but also a hammer inside his backpack. The teen reportedly told deputies he planned to break into closed restaurants in the area.
"Please pray for all members as they patrol our community during this stressful time. Be safe," the sheriff's office said in a release.