PUNTA GORDA, Fla. — The Punta Gorda Police Department said a 41-year-old man threatened to kill his mother with a sai weapon inside the Verandas of Punta Gorda Senior Apartments.

On Wednesday night, police received a call from a woman who said her son was punching holes inside the walls of her apartment.

When officers arrived they said Clifton Blakely, 41, was standing outside underneath a lanai with what looked like a sword.

It was a dagger-like weapon called a sai. Officers made their way to the front door and heard a woman screaming, “Put it down.” No one opened the door, so they busted it open.

They said Blakely was holding two sais, threw one at them and missed. That’s when they deployed their taser. 

Blakely then threw the second sai at officers, missing again.

Officers deployed their taser a second time and brought Blakely to the ground. That’s when Blakely started kicking them. Police had to deploy a taser two more times to get Blakely in handcuffs.

Officers had to deploy their taser four times in total because Blakely put up a fight. According to the arrest report, police weren’t able to handcuff Blakely until the fourth time he was tased.

Blakely was arrested and is sitting inside the Charlotte County Jail with a $100,000 bond. He is facing charges of resisting officers with violence, aggravated assault and aggravated assault on officers. 

Blakely’s neighbors aren’t surprised by his actions. 

“If you throw a sword at me and you’ve got a gun… I’m probably gonna shoot ya!” Don Murl said. “Kudos to the cops for not taking lethal means.”