Police went to a mayor's house with a warrant and they say he shot at them

CNN

Dale Massad, who was elected mayor in 2015, was arrested by the officers from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and accused of practicing medicine without a license. He now also faces two charges of attempted murder.

The funny thing is that to serve a warrant, they didn't serve it during business hours... They sent SWAT to the mayor's house.

SWAT officers knocked several times on the front doors of the mayor's home and tried unsuccessfully to use a battering ram to force them open. Another officer tried shooting the locks of the doors with a shotgun.
After they swung the doors open, a SWAT member set off a flash bang grenade inside the doorway.
When officers heard two shots, they retreated behind an armored vehicle, the court document says.

Seems the police must have a strange relationship with the Mayor to think that a SWAT raid against the Mayor was appropriate.
I also imagine the Mayor will say he was defending himself and that he didn't know they were officers.
Will be interesting to see how this plays out.

a reply to: Elton

Considering that the Mayor shot at the police, I think the swat team was warranted.

It's not like this was a no knock raid!

a reply to: KawRider9

I don't know, showing up as SWAT immediately escalates any situation (it's what they do.)
I would think if some deputies showed up at the Mayor's office, he wouldn't gun them down.
But it's all speculation at this point.

Must protect obama care at all cost.

Good thread choice.

a reply to: Elton

So this guy had been known to practice medicine without a license since 1992 (?) and they are just getting to him now?

Why didn't they just go to his office or home during normal business hours and serve the warrant? But a pre-dawn "raid"?

A SWAT team for a 68 year old dude? It sounds like he has some quality doors. Hard to find now a days.

There has to be more to this story. I am guessing (no data) there was some serious, long-term disharmony between the mayor and the PD. It finally boiled over.

a reply to: Elton

There has to be more to this story. Since when do police raid homes for the charge of practicing medicine without a license? That just doesn't sound right and a mayor at that.

Why not just arrest him like normal people in a public place? Maybe say like a mayor's office or city hall? There is definitely more to this.

Florida, man.

Last night I was watching True Crime Daily's Youtube channel and I found it funny that in their created playlists section they had several different categories for topics like 'Murder Mystery', 'Bad Dads', 'Bad Moms'. And then another specified category simply labeled 'Florida Crime'.

It is a different breed down in those parts for sure.

So whether you were facing off with Florida Man or Florida Mayor, I think it'd be wise to bring SWAT along for the wild ride.

predawn incident

Any opportunity to practice their military tactics. Next up, they will use SWAT to start arresting truant children in predawn no knock bust down the door raids.

a reply to: sooth

Your right it is a special breed down here. I was born in Jersey but grew up in Florida, so I'm all kinds of special. And yes if your coming to arrest me you better call swat or at the bare minimum the Marshalls.

Practicing without a license, i wonder if he was prescribing prescription drugs too.

Might have been doing a lot of that, might have had a good bit there as well. That angle would warrant this level of possible force, might also explain his willingness to fire as well.

One day they will do this to some one with some BIG weapon.
then They will be shot to pieces and some dead.
and they will diverse it.
when did US become a police state?

but I think they would love that.
more reasons to take guns away.
so they can shoot you and you can Not shoot back.

As this is happening close to me, the news here is that he is a pretty dirty guy and the police and he have had an "uneasy" understanding. However, he has been "practicing" medicine out of his house and one of his patients ended up in the hospital due to his mistakes. So, he was reported.

It must be noted that Florida does not "require" all medical doctors to be licensed, per se. But it is a a very muddled area.

It's still the wild west here in Florida.