Scottsdale PD identifies man who was killed in a bee attack
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - Scottsdale Police are investigating a deadly bee attack that happened on Monday morning.
What we know:
The July 7 incident happened at around 9:30 a.m. at an independent living facility near Scottsdale Road and Pinnacle Peak Road.
"Initial reporting from PD at the scene says the three people who were stung were part of a work crew who were working on the roof of the facility," police said.
Besides the person who died, police say two others were taken to the hospital and are stable.
The victim who died is 65-year-old Nicolas Lopez Soto of Gilbert.
"Soto and another worker were reportedly using a lift to remove stucco from a side column near the roof area when the bee attack happened around 9:30 a.m. While working, they were attacked by bees and used the lift to get back to the ground. By the time the lift was back on the ground, Soto was unconscious. He was removed from the lift, and CPR was performed at the scene until he could be transported to the hospital by fire crews. Despite life-saving efforts, he was pronounced dead by hospital medical staff just after 10:15 a.m. His family has been notified of his death," Scottsdale Police Officer Aaron Bolin said.
Soto was wearing a T-shirt, jeans and boots when he was stung. He had "numerous" bee stings on the exposed areas on his body.
"The second man with Soto on the lift had about two dozen bee stings on his body and was also transported to the hospital. A third man with the work crew on the ground was also transported with about a dozen bee stings," Officer Bolin said.
The facility the men were working at reportedly had a beekeeper coming on July 8 to take care of the hive.
"The facility had contracted the men to prepare the exterior of the column wall for a beekeeper to address a beehive concern on July 8," Officer Bolin said.
What's next:
"There will be a death investigation conducted by Scottsdale PD and the Maricopa County Office of the Medical Examiner," the department said.
What they're saying:
Aaron Lorti, founder of AZ Bee Kings, says this tragedy isn’t too uncommon, especially during this time of the year.
"These bees are very active and very aggressive," Lorti said.
Hot temperatures make the bees more active, and that can be a major threat when well over 90% of bees in the state are Africanized.
"They are very aggressive, very territorial, and if something sets them off, they will attack," Lorti said. "When one stings you, they will leave a scent on your skin that tells everyone else to attack."
Not all the details about this attack are known, but Lorti thinks the location of this hive could have been a major problem.
"I don’t know if it’s a one story or two story, but if you run into a bee hive up there, and it’s been there a long time, these bees are Africanized, that’s what they do. They will kill you. So even if you were to jump off, and you break your legs, they will follow you and sting you to death," he explained.
Which is why if you ever see any hives near your home, call a professional right away.
If you’re attacked by a swarm, Lorti says, "There’s only one thing you can do, and that’s run."
Contrary to what you may believe, never, under any circumstances, do this: "Jumping in the pool is the worst thing you can do because they know you will need to come up for a breath of air, and when you get to the surface, they will sting your face," Lorti advised.
Map of where the attack happened