Lightning Strike on Water Tower Caught on Fla. Officer's Bodycam

A powerful lightning bolt struck a Bradenton water tower moments after a police officer finished responding to a call, and the dramatic moment was recorded on his body camera.
Aug. 11, 2026
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What to Know

  • A Bradenton police officer's body camera captured a lightning strike hitting a city water tower.
  • The police officer had just finished a call when he heard a loud thunderclap moments before the bolt struck the tower.
  • The department said the water tower's lightning protection system worked as designed, and no injuries were reported.

A Florida police officer's body camera captured a dazzaling display when lightning struck a water tower last week.

The Bradenton police officer was finishing a call shortly after 5 p.m. Thursday when he heard a loud thunder clap, the department stated in an online post containing the footage. A bolt of lightning then crashed down on a city water tower, and the strike was caught on the officer's body camera.

"Thankfully, the tower took the hit like a champ," the department stated. "City water towers are equipped with heavy-duty lightning protection, and no one was injured."

About the Author

Joe Vince
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Joe Vince

Joining Endeavor Business Media in 2018, Joe has worked on the company's city services publications. He began working at OFFICER.com as the assistant editor. Before starting at Endeavor, Joe had worked for a variety of print and online news outlets, including the Indianapolis Star, the South Bend Tribune, Reddit and Patch.com.
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