Dagger found in man’s shoe at Florida courthouse, cops say. His explanation is odd

An 8-inch dagger was found expertly hidden the sole of a man’s shoe as he tried entering a Florida courthouse, and his explanation was even more awkward, according to the Volusia Sheriff’s Office.

“He told (deputies) he didn’t know the knife was in his shoe, and that the shoes weren’t even his,” the sheriff’s office said in a news release.

It happened around 11 a.m. Friday, July 29, when the 26-year-old man tried entering the Volusia County Courthouse in DeLand, about 40 miles northeast of Orlando.

“He placed his belongings into a bin to be sent through the X-ray machine, then walked through the magnetometer, which alerted in the area of his feet,” the sheriff’s office said.

“He was asked to remove his shoes to be X-rayed, and as they were sent through the machine, Deputy Trevor Gamble discovered the dagger concealed inside the sole of the right shoe.”

Investigators didn’t offer details on why the man was wearing someone else’s shoes.

A photo shows the metal knife was clearly large enough to making walking uncomfortable, due to lack of flexibility.

The suspect faces a misdemeanor charge of “carrying a concealed weapon into the courthouse,” officials said.

Investigators say the man is living under a risk protection order filed by the sheriff’s office. The order was requested in September 2021, “following an incident at his home in DeBary where he fired a shotgun at people who didn’t exist,” the sheriff’s office said.

“Under Florida statute commonly referred to as a ‘Red Flag Law,’ a law enforcement officer can file a petition asking a judge to enter a risk protection order (RPO) that temporarily removes firearms and ammunition from the possession of someone who poses a danger to themselves or others,” the sheriff’s office said.

The RPO “applies to firearms and ammunition, not other weapons.”

This story was originally published August 1, 2022 at 9:29 AM with the headline "Dagger found in man’s shoe at Florida courthouse, cops say. His explanation is odd."