Man crashes into Bradenton nursing home, later shoots Manatee County deputy in arm, sheriff says
BRADENTON, Fla. (WFLA) — A suspect is in custody after he crashed into a Bradenton nursing home and later shot a Manatee County deputy in the arm on Friday morning, according to Sheriff Rick Wells.
Wells said deputies received a 911 call from an employee at the Aspire at Palma Sola Bay on Cortez Road West around 3:25 a.m. after a driver crashed into the building and loaded a handgun.
Wells said another employee approached the suspect and “engaged with him.”
“At that time this dirt bag fired a shot at this employee. Luckily, by the grace of God, he was not struck,” Wells said.
Wells said the employee retreated to the back of the building. The suspect then tried to get into the building but couldn’t because the doors were secured.
Deputies said the suspect then fired his gun into the nursing home’s window.
Deputies located the man, identified as Sean Calcutti, on the east side of the nursing home.
“This is a man that tried to kill one of my deputies,” Wells said. “This is a man who tried to kill an innocent civilian inside of this nursing home.”
Wells said they gave the man commands to drop his weapon, however, he decided to fire his gun at deputies, striking one in the left arm. The deputy is going to be OK.
“He’s a warrior,” Wells said. “Just like all of the men and women that work at the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office who are faced with this type of danger more often than not.”
After shooting the deputy, Wells said Calcutti ran away from the scene.
“He should not, in my opinion, even be walking the streets of Manatee County,” Wells said. “How that has happened I don’t know.”
Manatee County deputies and officers from Bradenton, Holmes Beach and Palmetto and Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office K9 unit responded to help find the suspect.
Wells said Calcutti was located just before 6 a.m. with the gun still in his pocket.
“This is the man who will, hopefully, spend, spend a lot of time, not only in the Rick Wells Motel, which is the Manatee County Jail,” Wells said. “But also in the Department of Corrections.”
Calcutti was taken into custody and will be charged with attempted murder on a law enforcement officer, attempted murder on a civilian, shooting into an occupied dwelling and armed burglary, according to Wells.
Wells also said Calcutti had no connection to the nursing home.
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