HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. – A tense standoff at the Alderman’s Ford Nature Preserve ended peacefully on Wednesday afternoon after Hillsborough County deputies successfully de-escalated a situation involving an armed woman in distress.
The incident began at 10:26 a.m. when the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) 911 Dispatch Center received a call from a concerned parent. The caller reported that their adult daughter was suicidal and provided her location within the preserve.
When deputies arrived, they found the woman barricaded inside her vehicle with a firearm.
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HCSO immediately deployed its SWAT team and the Crisis Negotiation Team. Negotiators spent several hours establishing a dialogue with the woman, eventually convincing her to surrender without incident.
“I’m incredibly proud of how our deputies and Crisis Negotiation Team handled this delicate situation with skill and compassion,” Sheriff Chad Chronister said following the resolution. “Their training in de-escalation techniques and their patient approach helped bring someone in crisis to safety.”
Earlier in the day, the heavy police presence near the preserve caused concern due to its proximity to Durant High School. Officials were quick to clarify that the incident was isolated to the nature preserve and never involved the school or its students.
If you or someone you know is going through a mental health crisis, help is available. You are encouraged to contact the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay by dialing 211.
ORIGINAL REPORT: A heavy police presence has descended on the Alderman’s Ford Nature Preserve as Hillsborough County deputies work to resolve a standoff with a barricaded subject.
According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO), deputies are currently on the scene attempting to communicate with an individual who has barricaded themselves inside a vehicle. Officials have described the subject as suicidal and confirmed they are alone in the car.
While the flashing lights and police activity are near Durant High School, authorities were quick to quell any rising panic among parents and students. HCSO explicitly stated that the incident is entirely contained within the preserve and does not involve the high school or its campus.
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Residents and motorists are advised to avoid the area around the nature preserve while the situation remains active. Deputies have not yet released a timeline for when the scene might be cleared.
This is a developing story.
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