An armored SWAT vehicle, a helicopter and at least a dozen sheriff’s deputies reportedly swarmed a Florida church last week only to find a man sleeping with a bag of food.
The Bradenton Herald newspaper reported on Wednesday that a man was arrested after the county sheriff sent deputies and SWAT team members to The Bridge Church in West Bradenton, Fla.
The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office received reports that a possibly armed man was making threatening comments from inside the church, according to the newspaper.
Sheriff’s office spokesman Dave Bristow told the paper that the SWAT team and deputies found only an unarmed 31-year-old man who was sleeping in the church with a bag of food he’d received.
According to the Herald, the man was also holding a liquor bottle, which was mistaken for a weapon.
“They saw what they thought could be a weapon and they became alarmed and law enforcement got involved,” Bristow said.
“We did not locate a gun. He said he didn’t have a gun,” Sheriff Brad Steube said. “So we’ll bring in one of the canines and do an article search.”
The man was arrested but was not charged, the Herald reported.
h/t Miami Herald
