Authorities say the 77-year-old woman was making an early-morning stop connected to her volunteer work when she was attacked.
MACCLENNY, Fla. — A 77-year-old woman known locally for helping animals was at a veterinary clinic before dawn to feed community cats when authorities say a man attacked her, leading to a fatal shooting now under investigation by the Baker County Sheriff’s Office.
The woman shot 57-year-old Alvin Tyrone Tisdale of Macclenny after investigators say he attacked her in the parking lot of Macclenny Veterinary Hospital early Monday. Tisdale was taken to UF Health in Jacksonville, where he died. Authorities said preliminary findings indicate the woman acted in self-defense.
Baker County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Dave Mancini said the woman regularly volunteers to feed community cats at local businesses and was at the veterinary hospital because of that work. Mancini said she is known to deputies and residents through her involvement in animal rescue. Authorities have not released her name.
Deputies were called to the veterinary hospital shortly before 4:30 a.m. after the woman contacted authorities to report the shooting. She remained at the center of the investigation as the person who reported being attacked and has cooperated with detectives, according to the sheriff’s office. No arrest had been announced.
The early hour and the location drew attention in Macclenny, where residents interviewed by local news organizations described the violence as unusual for the community. The shooting occurred before employees arrived for work at the veterinary hospital. Staff members said they did not witness the confrontation and arrived after law enforcement had cleared the immediate scene.
The investigation extended beyond the clinic property. Action News Jax reported that deputies canvassed the parking lot and that nearby businesses were asked to provide surveillance footage. A neighboring business has security cameras, but authorities had not publicly confirmed whether any recording captured the encounter.
Investigators have released few details about the reported attack itself. They have not publicly explained what prompted the confrontation, whether Tisdale and the woman had encountered each other previously or how long the incident lasted. Those questions remain part of an investigation that authorities have described as ongoing.
The veterinary hospital remained open Monday. Employees said the business was not involved in the shooting, and no animals stay at the facility overnight. The woman’s presence at the property, authorities later explained, was connected to her volunteer efforts rather than the hospital’s regular operating hours.
Residents who spoke with News4JAX expressed sadness about the death while also reacting to the sheriff’s account that the woman had been defending herself. Authorities, however, have continued to characterize that conclusion as preliminary while detectives review the available evidence.
The Baker County Sheriff’s Office has not announced criminal charges in connection with the shooting. Investigators continue working to determine the full circumstances of the encounter and whether additional evidence changes their preliminary finding of self-defense.
Author note: Last updated October 7, 2026.