Gulfport police Baker Act woman who drove into water, threatened self-harm after rescue

GULFPORT, Fla. - The Gulfport Police Department Baker Acted a woman Sunday morning after they say she intentionally drove a vehicle into the water and threatened to cut herself with a knife after being rescued. 

Police responded to the area of 58th St. S. and Shore Blvd. S. in Gulfport around 6 a.m. to investigate reports of a woman screaming after purposely driving into the water. 

Police say after fire rescue personnel pulled her from the water, she broke away from the crew as they were leading her to an ambulance, pulled a knife out from under her shirt and put it to her neck.

Officers say they tried to speak with the woman, but she was unresponsive and refused to comply with commands to put the knife down. 

According to GPD, police were forced to use a less-lethal munition (a rubber projectile) to disarm her and prevent her from hurting herself. 

The woman was then taken into custody under a Baker Act and, aside from a minor welt, sustained no additional injuries. 

The car was also removed from the water.