Chaos erupted at a Fort Pierce Walmart when a man armed with a machete attacked a local police officer. CBS12 reports that the Fort Pierce Police Department responded to the incident around 9:15 p.m. last Saturday. Officers encountered 33-year-old Lawrence Fountain, who allegedly intensified the situation by swinging the machete with violent intention as they approached him.
An officer sustained a laceration to the arm in the struggle before Fountain was subdued and taken into custody. Swinging the weapon violently, law enforcement attempted to approach the man, only managing to apprehend him after a brief struggle. The injured officer was given medical treatment at a local hospital, with expectations set for a full recovery, as per the police department.
Fountain is facing a slate of charges, including aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer. Following the altercation, he was booked into St. Lucie County Jail. The WPBF account of the event confirms these details, adding that Fountain also faces charges for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Upon his apprehension, the suspect was also transported to the hospital for an evaluation and treatment of his injuries.
The investigation into the circumstances leading up to the confrontation continues. Anyone with information that might shed light on the preceding events has been urged by the Fort Pierce Police Department to step forward. While the officer sustained injuries in the line of duty, the machete-wielding suspect was also treated at a hospital, according to officials.
