An early morning prowler call in Lutz resulted in the arrest of three teenagers who pointed what appeared to be weapons at a sheriff’s helicopter.
The incident began about 1:40 a.m. on Saturday, July 11, 2026, when the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office got a report of a prowler near East 148th Avenue. While deputies were their route, the caller informed dispatchers that they had seen three people walking around the area with firearms.
The agency’s Aviation Unit arrived at the scene to assist. Pilots found three people on the ground, who pointed the suspected guns squarely toward the chopper. Following the altercation, the group entered a nearby home.
Deputies on the ground surrounded the residence and ordered the occupants to exit. Jertrell Hamilton, 19, Javis Hamilton, 15, and Brayden Eason, 15, followed the orders and were taken into prison without additional incident.
A subsequent inquiry found that the teenagers’ weapons were BB guns, not genuine rifles.
“Our deputies make split-second decisions every day to protect this community, and we have zero tolerance for anyone who points what appears to be a weapon at them, whether they’re on the ground or in the air,” Sheriff Chad Chronister said. “If you aim what looks like a rifle at one of our deputies or our Aviation Unit, expect our immediate response and to be held fully accountable for your actions.”
All three adolescents were detained and charged with two charges of Aggravated Assault on a Law Enforcement Officer with a Deadly Weapon. The investigation continues.
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