A veteran who fled on foot after expressing suicidal thoughts was found in a wooded swamp near Van Dyke Road on Friday, standing in water, before Hillsborough County deputies talked him into coming out and got him connected with care. The search ended with the veteran safe.
Deputies Track Veteran Into the Swamp
Deputies responded to the area near Van Dyke Road on Friday to search for the veteran after he fled on foot during a mental health crisis. Deputies pushed into the brush and eventually located him standing in the water of a wooded swamp.
Once they reached him, deputies spoke with the veteran directly, the sheriff's office reel shows, reassuring him that he was not alone. He was then safely brought out of the swamp and connected with the care he needed, per the same account.
A County With More Veterans Than Any Other in Florida
The case lands in a county where the need for veteran crisis support is especially acute. Hillsborough County has more veterans living within its borders than any other county in the state, according to ABC Action News. The station reported that the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay received more than 16,000 calls from veterans in crisis in 2023, and that on average, one local veteran is dialing 988 each day, per Crisis Center CEO Clara Reynolds.
The station's report also noted that veterans and their families can press one after calling 988 to get in direct contact with other veterans at the Crisis Center, which can then connect callers directly to the VA and other community services. Separately, Tampa Bay 28 reported that the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay's Veterans division has received over 29,000 calls from veterans or family members in the past year, according to Tampa Bay 28.
Suicide Rates Among Florida Veterans Far Outpace General Population
Suicide death rates among veterans residing in Florida are at least 2.6 times higher than those of the general population, according to the Florida Department of Health. Nationally, the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline has also seen a nearly 77% increase in texts and a 28% increase in chats per day, ABC Action News reported, pointing to a surge in people reaching out for help through channels beyond phone calls.
Those seeking help can reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988, and veterans specifically can dial 988 then press 1, chat online at VeteransCrisisLine.net/Chat, or text 838255 to reach the Veterans Crisis Line, per VA News. Locally, residents can call 211 for referrals to community resources, according to Hillsborough County. The Crisis Center has served the Tampa Bay community for nearly 50 years, per Hillsborough County's description of the organization.
Not the First Time Deputies Have De-escalated a Crisis
This is not the only recent instance of Hillsborough County deputies responding to a resident in crisis. In December, the sheriff's office issued a release describing how deputies and its Crisis Negotiation Team successfully de-escalated a suicidal subject, with Sheriff Chad Chronister saying at the time, “I'm incredibly proud of how our deputies and Crisis Negotiation Team handled this delicate situation with skill and compassion,” according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.
