Man fires gun at citrus canker inspectors.
August 1, 2000
Fla. Cop: Shots Fired at Inspectors
Filed at 8:41 p.m. EDT
By The Associated Press
PLANTATION, Fla. (AP) -- A man fired two shots at state inspectors who
came to his house to see if his trees are infected with citrus canker, a police
spokesman said.
More than 35 police officers surrounded Carl Lawson's five-acre estate after
he fired a shotgun at inspectors running from the home, said police
spokesman Al Butler.
The standoff ended four hours later after Lawson, 63, walked out of his
home. He was not armed, but police found a shotgun in the house, Butler
said.
``Approximately 10 officers took him down,'' Butler said. ``He tried to run
back inside but the officers stopped him.''
Butler said there were no injuries and Lawson was taken to a hospital for a
mental evaluation. He was later charged with two counts of attempted
homicide.
The inspectors were there to check whether the trees on the property are
infected with citrus canker, a threat to the state's citrus industry.
In March, a 95-year-old man was arrested for arming himself with a rifle
when inspectors showed up at his home in nearby Tamarac.
State citrus inspectors regularly check trees for canker infection. If found,
the officials mark the trees and notify the property owner that the trees need
to be destroyed. Owners are given five days to appeal.
Copyright 2000 The New York Times Company |
