Man accused of threatening Popeyes employees with knife, barricading himself inside Clewiston home

CLEWISTON, Fla. —

A man was arrested in Clewiston on Friday morning after being accused of threatening Popeyes employees with a knife.

According to the Clewiston Police Department, officers responded to what became an armed confrontation and subsequent standoff involving a resident that began early in the morning.

At around 4 a.m., officers responded to the Popeye's Louisiana Kitchen on Sugarland Highway after reports that Carlos Benavides, 37, was trespassing and threatening employees with a knife, CPD said.

After arriving on the scene, an officer said they saw Benavides brandish the knife before retreating into his home and barricading himself inside.

This followed an earlier incident at 12:12 a.m., according to CPD, where Benavides harassed staff and attempted to enter the restaurant while wearing an employee shirt.

Officers spent the next two hours attempting to negotiate a peaceful surrender via a PA system before the Hendry County SWAT Team was able to safely take Benavides into custody.

Benavides was transported to a medical center for evaluation, and then was transported to the Hendry County Jail once medically cleared.

Benavides faces charges of aggravated assault, armed trespassing and resisting officers with violence.

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