Man points gun at deputies while in his bathtub and is shot dead, Florida cops say

A welfare check turned deadly when a man in his bathtub pointed at gun at the deputy who pulled back his shower curtain, Florida investigators say.

Anthony Dadante was shot for refusing to drop the pistol, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.

The shooting happened around 11:15 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 7, after Dadante’s wife called 911 to ask deputies to do a welfare check on her husband at their Tampa home, the sheriff’s office said.

Body cam video was shared on YouTube by the department. See the video here. Warning: The video might be difficult for some people to watch.

“The family member said they heard gunfire from the bathroom. ... Dadante, 67, was in the bathtub when deputies entered,” the sheriff’s office said.

“Deputy Jose Rodriguez, 29, moved the shower curtain back and saw blood on Dadante’s chest and a firearm in his hand. Deputy Rodriguez and Deputy Jenna Roberts, 29, asked Dadante to drop the firearm several times. Dadante then pointed the firearm at Deputy Rodriguez, and both deputies shot Dadante.”

Dadante died at the scene.

He had no criminal history and the sheriff’s office had not been called to the home in the past, officials said.

Dadante’s wife was at the home and told deputies her husband had threatened to kill himself, officials said. It’s believed he wounded himself in a failed suicide attempt prior to the deputies arriving.

Roberts has been with the sheriff’s office since 2017 and Rodriguez joined the department in 2022.

The Florida Deportment of Law Enforcement is investigating, officials said.

If you or someone you know may be in danger of suicidal thoughts, call or text the free suicide and crisis lifeline at 988 to connect with a trained counselor.

This story was originally published December 9, 2024 at 9:30 AM with the headline "Man points gun at deputies while in his bathtub and is shot dead, Florida cops say."