Man With Machete Charges At Police, Shot Dead: Sheriff's Office

FROSTPROOF, FL — A deputy-involved shooting occurred Wednesday night that killed a 28-year-old man who reportedly charged at authorities with a machete. The fatal shooting happened at the suspect's home on Freedom Drive, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office.

A woman called the police before 7 p.m. about her brother, Yoel Arnaldo Mejia Santel, after a physical altercation, detectives said.

The sister told deputies that her brother was paranoid and possibly schizophrenic.

The woman told officials Mejia Santel had warned her if she called police they would have to shoot him because he had a machete.

Mejia Santel's hand was hidden behind a door frame at his apartment as police spoke to him, and he refused to show his hands after detectives asked him to do so, investigators said.

A deputy tried to get control of Mejia Santel, but failed and the suspect was able to get into the bathroom, where he armed himself with a machete, according to law enforcement officials.

Investigators said police gave commands for Santel to leave the bathroom, which he refused. Instead, Mejia Santel told deputies, “Did you smell that gas? I poured gas everywhere.”

Police talked with Mejia Santel for 45 minutes attempting to de-escalate the situation, the sheriff's office said.

Mejia Santel left the bathroom with the machete raised over his head and charged at the deputies, detectives said.

Officers feared for their safety and shot at Mejia Santel, the sheriff's office said.

Life-saving techniques were given to Mejia Santel by Polk County Fire Rescue, however he died of his injuries at the scene, the Polk County Sheriff's Office said.

“There is no doubt, law enforcement is a dangerous job," Sheriff Grady Judd said. "When deputies respond to a family disturbance, they do everything they can to de-escalate the situation and bring about a peaceful conclusion. Unfortunately, Santel put them in a position where they had to protect themselves and those around them."

Investigators said during a search of the residence, a glass pipe with white residue was found inside the suspect's bedroom. The white residue tested positive for methamphetamine, detectives said.

Standard protocol for all deputy-involved shootings will include four independent investigations, according to Polk County Sheriff's Office officials.

According to the sheriff's office, the deputies being investigated are 40-year-old Lieutenant Kenneth Hill, a 20-year veteran of PCSO; 36-year-old Sergeant Joshua Anderson, a 15-year veteran of PCSO; and 49-year-old Deputy Sheriff Sarah Taylor, a 10-year veteran of PCSO.

Per agency protocol, all members involved will be on administrative leave with pay during the initial phase of the investigation