Deputy Wrestles With Hawk Clinging To His Glove During Backyard Rescue

A deputy wrestles with a trapped hawk that refuses to let go of his gloved hand during a backyard rescue in Tampa on Monday, September 28.

The hawk had become trapped inside a screened pool enclosure at a home after an elderly resident called 911 for help. Body-worn camera footage shows the deputy approaching the bird with a leather glove and pool net before scooping it up.

The deputy then carries the hawk outside toward nearby woods, but the bird grips both the glove and the net with its talons. “Baby, gotta let go,” the deputy tells the hawk while carefully working its feet free.

The bird eventually drops onto the grass with both wings spread before standing and facing the camera. The deputy holds up a phone for a final photograph.

The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said the hawk was released in nearby woods and was not injured. It later flew away.