Deputy Injured By Suspect's Homemade Explosive Device: Sheriff

POLK COUNTY, FL — A homemade explosive device that a suspect had inside his shirt went off and injured a Polk County sheriff's deputy responding to a disturbance call Sunday night in Dundee, according to a news release.

Two deputies went to Economy Motor Lodge, 28550 U.S. Highway 27, around 9:30 p.m. One of the deputies asked the suspect, 39-year-old Marco Antonio Tolentino of Dundee, to identify himself. Tolentino told the officer that he did not have identification nor was he revealing his name, the deputies said.

After the officer asked Tolentino if he had anything illegal on him, he lifted his shirt and exposed a metal pipe he said he carried for protection, deputies said. Part of the pipe was hidden in his pocket, investigators said.

The deputy was unsure what the exact weapon was and reached for it, deputies said, and Tolentino simultaneously reached for it. During this interaction, the pipe — also known as a zip gun — came apart as it was pulled from his pocket and a blast occurred, detectives said. A single round struck the deputy's hand, and hit Tolentino in his hand and shoulder.

The deputy was seriously injured, according to health officials, and was last reported in stable condition. Tolentino experienced non-life-threatening injuries and was last reported in stable condition.

Tolentino had told deputies he had "a tube" with a 12-gauge round in his waistband, deputies said. He does not have a concealed carry license, police said. No deputies fired any weapons.

As a result of the sheriff's office investigation, Marco Antonio Tolentino was charged with:

• Attempted felony murder
• Possessing or discharging a destructive device
• Resisting an officer with violence
• Carrying a concealed weapon / firearm
• Providing false info to a law enforcement officer

The standard protocol for deputy-involved shootings — though, in this case, no deputy fired any shots — will include three independent investigations: a PCSO criminal investigation will be conducted, administrative Investigations will conduct an administrative inquiry and the state attorney's office will conduct a separate review.