A Cocoa Beach man remains in protective custody following a lengthy standoff with police and members of the SWAT team Monday, June 22.
The man had apparently armed himself with a rifle, prompting police to track him to the Dollar General shopping plaza on North Atlantic Avenue, not far from the Cocoa Beach Library. Businesses remained shut down during the police operation, which started in the early morning, and employees were not allowed to go into work at the retail center.
No one was injured and no charges were filed in the case.
“We received a call about an individual having a crisis, or in distress and possibly being armed,” said Lt. Bill Stanley, spokesperson for the Cocoa Beach Police Department.
“He was placed in protective custody. We didn’t file any charges. It was a very tough tactical operation, but the priority was to preserve life.”
Officers waited for several hours in hot, muggy weather, focusing on The Calm Collective Kava Bar, a business located in the plaza.
The parking lot was closed off, keeping businesses shut down as SWAT team members in heavy tactical gear were posted around the site and police talked with the unidentified man.
“We were able to talk to him for quite a bit of time,” Stanley told FLORIDA TODAY.
Officers were seen walking the man to a waiting police car mid-morning Monday. He was then transported to a facility for further evaluation, police said.
J.D. Gallop is a criminal justice/breaking news reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Gallop at 321-917-4641or jgallop@floridatoday.com. X: @JDGallop.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Cocoa Beach man in protective custody after standoff ends
Reporting by J.D. Gallop, Florida Today / Florida Today
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By J.D. Gallop, Florida Today | USA TODAY Network
