Palmetto man shot and killed after pointing a rifle at police officers, chief says
.jpg "Palmetto Police Chief Scott Tyler said one of his officers shot Daniel McClelland, 47, Tuesday morning after he pointed a rifle at police. McClelland later died from his injuries, police say.")
Palmetto Police fatally shot a man who pointed a rifle at them during a mental health episode, police say.
Officers say they responded to the home of Daniel McClelland, 47, in the 700 block of Eighth Street West in Palmetto just before 9 a.m. Tuesday after reports of him making suicidal statements. McClellan threatened to “force officers to shoot him” if they responded, according to police.
When officers arrived at the home, police say McClelland went inside and came back outside with a rifle.
According to police, McClelland pointed the rifle at the officers who commanded him to drop it, but police say he did not obey their commands.
One of the officers was then “forced to respond to the threat and shoot” McClelland, Palmetto Police Chief Scott Tyler told the Bradenton Herald Friday morning.
Tyler said officers attempted life-saving measures until paramedics arrived and brought McClelland to a local hospital.
McClelland later died from his injuries, but police have not released the time of death.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the State Attorney’s Office are investigating the shooting, Tyler said.
The officer who shot McClellan is on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation, Tyler said.
