The current mayor of Port Richey, Florida has been arrested after he fired shots at a SWAT team who were trying to serve a search warrant at his home on Thursday.
68-year-old Port Richey Mayor, Dale Glen Massad fired several shots at The Pasco County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) during an investigation into a possible illegal medical practice Massad was allegedly running from his Port Richey home.
It all started early Thursday morning when the PCSO SWAT team showed up at Massad’s home, located at 8221 Hayward Lane.
The SWAT team was there to serve a warrant related to allegations Massad was still practicing medicine despite having his medical license revoked in 1992, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE).
FDLE said one medical procedure Massad allegedly performed sent a patient to the hospital.
When SWAT arrived, the sheriff’s office said they “announced their presence” and tried to enter. That’s when Massad fired two shots toward the SWAT members. Deputies said they did not return fire. Massad surrendered and was arrested shortly after shooting at the deputies. There were no injuries.
Massad was booked on charges of practicing medicine without a license and attempted homicide charges.
The SWAT team was used because Massad is a known drug-user and weapons-owner with a history of violence, NBC News reports.
Nocco said there is a suspicion that Massad was under the influence of drugs at the time of the shooting and made comments to officers about not going back to jail. Nocco stated:
“He’s lucky he’s not dead. When somebody says ‘I’m not going back to jail’ that either means it’s going to be a shootout, they’re either going to flee from us somehow…or possibly suicide by cop. He’s the one who made the decision to shoot [at] us. He’s the one who is going to jail.”
Massad was arrested in August 2018 for a domestic battery charge.
Massad was elected mayor of Port Richey, a city north of Tampa in a special election in 2015.
