A Hardee County man that authorities describe as a "chronic offender" is accused of holding three people hostage over the weekend and attacking two deputies with a hatchet.
According to the sheriff's office, Mitchell Albritton, 61, was arrested on Sunday evening.
Deputies said they responded to a home in Wauchula Hills at 7:30 p.m. after getting a 911 call about a possible armed hostage situation. At the home, authorities said Albritton told them he was armed and tried to close the front door. Deputies, already in the threshold, forced the door open and tried to subdue Albritton.
The sheriff's office said Albritton used the hatchet to hit two deputies before he was restrained. The deputies were taken to a local hospital where they were treated and released.
After Albritton was in custody, authorities said they found three victims inside the home covered in blood. One of the victims said they were afraid to run because Albritton would pick up the hatchet when they tried to move, authorities said.
The victims were all taken to medical facilities.
According to the sheriff's office, Albritton was released from prison on August 13 and is on active conditional release supervision. Authorities said Albritton was sentened to 25 years in prison in 1997 for murder. He was previously imprisoned for False Imprisonment, Shooting into a Dwelling, Aggravated Battery with a Deadly Weapon, and Felon in Possession of a Firearm or Ammunition.
Albritton is charged with the following counts over Sunday's incident. Attempted Second Degree Murder of a Law Enforcement Officer, Aggravated Battery on a Law Enforcement Officer, Resist Officer with Violence, Attempted Second Degree Murder, Domestic Violence - Aggravated Battery, Battery on a Law Enforcement Officer, Domestic Violence - False Imprisonment and Resist Officer without Violence.
