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Bradenton PD: Burglary suspect on hold for ICE after assaulting officer

Published  April 5, 2017 6:24pm EDT
News
FOX 13 Tampa Bay

BRADENTON (FOX 13) - The Bradenton Police Department released surveillance video of one of its lieutenants grappling with a suspect who was later determined to be in the U.S. illegally.

Lieutenant William Weldon went to a jewelry store on 9th Street West after a burglar alarm went off.  He found a shattered window and 23-year-old Isaac Dubon, of Bradenton, in the store.

Lt. Weldon said the suspect complied until he holstered his gun. The lieutenant says that's when Dubon struck. Dubon put the lieutenant in a headlock and the men engaged in a 90-second wrestling match. At one point, Weldon said Dubon tried to gouge Weldon's eyes.

"I was afraid for my life. I didn't know what to expect from him. All I knew was I needed to keep him under control until my backup officers got there," Weldon said during a news conference Wednesday morning. "I feel like I would have been justified in shooting him. Deadly force is supposed to be used as a last resort and I had one other resort and I used it."

The 15-year veteran of the force pulled out his gun, and as the suspect approached, he pistol whipped him, knocking him to the ground.

"I couldn't see. I was in pain and I was tired. I was just trying to recompose myself. You go through your head to see if there was anything else you could have done to prevent the entire incident, but my main goal was to be with my family," he said.

At that moment, other officers arrived to help place Dubon into custody.

Bradenton Chief of Police Melanie Bevan said Weldon had been humble about the whole ordeal.

"[Weldon] told me in his southern draw, 'Ma'am, the thing that I am most grateful for is that it was me that walked through the door and not one of the officers under my command,'" Chief Bevan said.

Dubon is being held on a $12,000 bond, and is expected to face a number of charges. Bradenton Police said Dubon is a suspect in other burglaries in the area. They said Dubon is in the U.S illegally. He's in the Manatee County jail and is being placed on hold for ICE.