Man shot after threatening good Samaritan

 A man is in the hospital in critical condition, after Largo police say an act of kindness took a violent turn.

According to investigators, a group of would-be good Samaritans tried to help a man they found laying on the side of Walsingham Road Sunday night.

They thought he needed medical attention and asked to wait for assistance to arrive, but the man refused and walked away.

Largo Police Department spokesperson Lt. Randall Chaney said the man may have been hit by a car before the good Samaritans approached him.

They followed the man as he walked away and that's when the situation spiraled out of control. Police say the man became violent.

"[The man] turned, produced a box cutter, and lunged at one of the good Samaritans," said Lt. Randall Chaney, a spokesman for the Largo police department.

One of the good Samaritans pulled out a handgun and fired at the man, hitting him in the leg, according to investigators.

Police have not had a chance to talk to the man to get his side of the story. He is currently in the hospital where he underwent surgery and is in intensive care. 

Chaney said police haven't yet decided who is the victim and who is the suspect in this case.

Police said, so far, it seems as if the good Samaritans approached the man with good intentions. Officials warn anyone in a similar circumstance to be careful.

"You have to decide whether or not that person is an adult who is in his right mind and just chooses not to be looked at," said Lt. Chaney. "People have the right to go about their business."

As for the vehicle that may have hit the man, police say they are looking for a white Jeep or light silver SUV. Anyone with information is asked to call the Largo Police Department.