Every year, millions of Americans visit Bass Pro Shops, a giant retail chain specializing in outdoor sports and camping enthusiasts. Few people leave without spending at least a few minutes admiring the indoor aquarium and beautiful aquatic life. internal. But the charm may have gone a little too far for one Alabama man, who reportedly stripped naked and jumped into an aquarium to give the fish a dip.
Just before closing Thursday evening, witnesses reported the suspect, later identified as a 42-year-old. george owenswas exhibiting unusual behavior at a Bass Pro Shop in Leeds, Alabama, a city of about 12,000 people located 32 miles east of Birmingham. According to reports, Owens first crashed his car into a parking pole. He then went inside the building, where his strange behavior continued.
Once inside the aquarium, Owens reportedly took off his birthday suit and dove into the aquarium like a cannonball. He then reportedly swam for about five minutes until police arrived.
After officers arrived on the scene, Owens jumped out of the tank and stood under the waterfall, continuing to scream at officers. Police said the man then jumped into the water and resurfaced. Finally, he lifted himself out of the tank and collapsed onto nearby concrete, presumably losing his consciousness. AL.com report.
When officers attempted to arrest him, the suspect apparently revived and began resisting their efforts. A police officer then managed to cover him with a blanket. subdue him before placing him in the back seat of the police car. On the way to the St. Clair County Jail, Owens sustained some damage to the back of his cruiser, WBRC-TV reported.
Owens is not currently listed as an inmate at the jail, but reports say he faces a series of charges, including indecent exposure, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, assault on a police officer and criminal mischief. He is said to have been indicted.
Owens was also taken to a nearby hospital for a mental health evaluation, AL.com reported. The results of that evaluation and whether he was released from the medical facility remain unclear.
Leeds Police Chief Paul Irwin told WBRC-TV that Owens does have a mental illness, but even if he gave the department a specific diagnosis, the department would not share it with viewers. He said he did not make it public. Mr. Irwin also reiterated that the symptoms of mental illness that Mr. Owens allegedly displayed could put officers at significant risk.
It is unclear when Owens is next expected to appear in court.
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