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There’s a beef brewing between a viral sensation between a man refusing to leave his boat and the mayor of Tampa.
Earlier this week, a one-legged Tampa man nicknamed “Lieutenant Dan” vowed to stay on his sailboat during Hurricane Milton despite grim warnings from officials.
NEW: Florida man ‘Lieutenant Dan,’ who refuses to evacuate his 20-foot sailboat in Tampa Bay ahead of Hurricane Milton, has raised over $18K so far
Joe Sea shared a video explaining that “GOD” told him to “come out here and get a boat.” “He’s got my back. I’m in good shape. I’m… pic.twitter.com/peVp4kV9Vl
— Unlimited L’s (@unlimited_ls) October 9, 2024
On Wednesday, Tampa mayor Jane Castor announced that the man had been “saved” and was on his way to a shelter.
“The Tampa Police Department, this morning, just saved Lieutenant Dan,” Castor said at a press conference. “He has been rescued, and he is now in a shelter as well. If we can get Lieutenant Dan to go to a shelter, we can get anybody to do that.”
Castor was immediately called out when the man told reporters he was not going to leave despite the mayor’s claims.
I know the Mayor of Tampa just said in her press conference that Lieutenant Dan went to a shelter.
He didn’t,
I’m standing right here. https://t.co/Wv6NleShNW pic.twitter.com/40c7aLqI9B— Brian Entin (@BrianEntin) October 9, 2024
“She had a press conference and said she got me to go to a shelter, because the cops came down this morning to try to coerce to go into a shelter, I’m the type of person, the more you tell me to do something, the more I’m going to fight you”
the mayor of tampa LIED and is already spreading misinformation.
lieutenant dan is still on his boat and he is not leaving. please keep his soul in your thoughts & prayers as the storm draws eerily near. pic.twitter.com/hjy4tfawAK
— basically a dump acct. (@NotNiaB) October 9, 2024
The mayor’s PR team released a statement after the snafu.
“Our public safety team is continuing conversations with this individual, working to persuade him to make the decision to go to a shelter for safety as the hurricane approaches. At one point today, just prior to the press conference, he’d agreed to leave his boat, however, it appears that he has not followed through.”
As of Wednesday afternoon, Dan seemed to be doing alright in his boat.
Just went over to check on Lieutenant Dan during a break in the weather – he just cut one of his lines because he said his boat was hitting the wall but he’s ok. pic.twitter.com/ud99i3akbF
— Brian Entin (@BrianEntin) October 9, 2024