← Back to browse

November 19, 2019 · New Port Richey, Florida

Wal-Mart Evacuated After Florida Man Found Crawling Through Ceiling

56

/ 100

Florida Man score

Classic Florida

Content note

This incident involved a real injury: a nurse was punched, knocked down, and beaten while treating the suspect.

A Walmart is evacuated after a man barricades himself in a crawl space above the ceiling, and he later attacks a nurse at the hospital.

Pasco County deputies said William L. Harrell Jr., 47, entered a New Port Richey Walmart and asked an employee for a phone, claiming his wife was trying to kill him. He then went behind the service desk, threw a stool, barricaded himself in a communications closet, and climbed into the ceiling crawl space, prompting the store's evacuation. Deputies used a stun gun, bean bag gun, and pepper spray to get him down. At the hospital for medical clearance, Harrell punched a nurse in the face, knocked him down, and continued beating him. He was charged with aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, business burglary, criminal mischief, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, and battery on a nurse.

Score breakdown

Absurdity18/25
Humor6/25
Florida Factor10/20
Unexpectedness11/15
Headline Quality7/10
Source Quality4/5

Original source

Newsweek ↗

More Florida Man stories