Armed citizens pull gun on knife-wielding intoxicated woman at Florida Dollar General: PCSO
Intoxicated woman held at gunpoint at Dollar General
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd praises two citizens who held a woman he said was intoxicated and threatening customers at a Dollar General store with a knife.
POLK COUNTY, Fla. - A knife-wielding Kissimmee woman who is in the country illegally was arrested after threatening customers with a knife and being held at gunpoint by armed citizens at a Polk County Dollar General, according to the sheriff's office.
Dollar General Investigation
What we know:
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said 36-year-old Natalia Gaviria, of Kissimmee, got heavily intoxicated before entering the Dollar General. Once inside, she reportedly pulled out a knife, began waving it around and threatened customers.
Store surveillance footage shows Natalia Gaviria holding a knife inside a Polk County Dollar General. Courtesy: Polk County Sheriff's Office.
Store employees quickly ushered customers out of the building and called 911. During the encounter, investigators said Gaviria stabbed a soda bottle inside the business.
Two residents drew their concealed firearms and held Gaviria at gunpoint until law enforcement officers arrived. Sheriff Judd noted that under Florida law, residents do not need a permit to carry a concealed firearm.
An armed resident holds Natalia Gaviria at gunpoint outside a Polk County Dollar General after she allegedly threatened customers with a knife. Courtesy: Polk County Sheriff's Office.
"Way to go Polk County," Judd said. "When we got there, you may say the caper was over."
Gaviria was taken into custody and charged with disorderly intoxication, theft of the stabbed soda bottle and two counts of assault.
Polk County Sheriff's Office mugshot of Natalia Gaviria. Courtesy: Polk County Sheriff's Office.
Sheriff Judd confirmed Gaviria is in the United States illegally from Colombia.
"Maybe you act that way in Colombia, but you don’t act that way in Florida and you sure don’t act that way in Polk County or we’ll pull our guns on you here," Judd said. "Congratulations citizens. You did what was right. You intervened when a violent felony was occurring. You kept everyone safe until the sheriff’s office arrived. So, congratulations to you. To Natalia, when we’re finished sending you to prison, you’re on your way back to Colombia."
Investigation details
What we don't know:
Authorities have not released the identity of the two armed residents who stepped in to hold the suspect at gunpoint. It remains unclear how long Gaviria was inside the store before shoppers intervened.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, who explained how deputies responded to the scene and made the arrest, as well as official statements from the Polk County Sheriff's Office.