A 47-Year-Old Man Was Shot, Killed By Police After He Tried To Suffocate His Mom In Polk

POLK COUNTY, FL — Deputies shot and killed a man while responding to a domestic violence incident in Polk County Sunday.

Arthur Martin, 47, who lived with his mother in Davenport in the Providence subdivision, was shot and killed at about 2:45 p.m., a Polk County Sheriff's Office news release said. His mother was not injured, the sheriff's office said.

Deputy Sheriff Aurello Nicolas, a two-year veteran, was cut on his face and head by a knife the suspect was accused of wielding, the sheriff's office said. His condition was not known.

Deputy Sheriff Odalys Hurtado, a three-year veteran; Deputy Sheriff Kyle Pitts, a five-year veteran; and Nicolas were involved in the shooting, the sheriff's office said. The deputies involved will be placed on administrative leave with pay during the initial phase of the investigation, per agency protocol, the sheriff's office said.

The sheriff's office homicide unit will conduct a death investigation, and its administrative investigations unit will conduct an administrative inquiry, the sheriff's office said.

The State Attorney's Office will conduct a separate investigation, and the 10th District medical examiner's office will conduct an investigation to determine the cause and manner of death, the sheriff's office said.

The incident occurred as deputies responded to a report of a domestic dispute.

Martin held a pillow on his mother's face multiple times as she took a nap in her house on the living room couch, the sheriff's office said. She told officers that she and her son had not recently had any arguments, the sheriff's office said.

Martin was inside his bedroom on the second floor when deputies told him to come out, the sheriff's office said. They found Martin in the master bathroom, according to detectives.

The three officers opened the door, the sheriff's office said. Martin charged them with a large knife and wounded Nicolas in the face and on the head, the sheriff's office said.

Nicolas tried to shoot Martin with his stun gun, but it failed, the sheriff's office said. That's when the officers shot and killed Martin, the sheriff's office said.

*The Polk County Sheriff's Office did not release the name of the mother because Marsy's Law does not allow the name of victims to be identified to media outlets.