A Maitland, Florida police officer shot and critically wounded a mentally ill man Monday night after the man attacked his caregiver and lunged at police. Ronald Btesh tried to lock the front door when they responded to a call for help from his caregiver, Nohemy Castelblanco.On a 911 call recording, a panicked Castelblanco is heard telling the operator about the attack. "The man is crazy," Castelblanco said. "He attacked me."
"Ma'am, you have to calm down and talk to me," the operator said. "Did he rape you?"
"Yes," Castelblanco answered.
Lt. Jeff Harris of the Maitland Police Department said Castelblanco had been struck several times, but Btesh never raped her as initially reported.
Officers forced their way into Btesh's residence about 11:15p.m. and confronted him at gunpoint. They shouted several orders at Btesh, but he did not comply and lunged at Officer Rebecca Denicola, police said. She fired her gun, striking Btesh three times. Denicola was placed on paid administrative leave.
Btesh was in critical condition Tuesday at a hospital.
Btesh's caregiver told authorities he is mentally ill and that she has been caring for him since he was a child. (info from The Orlando Sentinel)
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