A Florida woman was able to fend off a potential sexual assault by telling the armed assailant that “he would have to shoot her first,” according to authorities.

The Brevard County Sheriff’s Office said this week that the retort shocked 29-year-old suspect Donovan Tyler Adkins — who had his genitals exposed at the time — and gave the woman time to scream for help.

“According to the statement of the victim, with Adkins pointing the gun at her face, she refused to comply and told Adkins he would have to shoot her first!!” the Sheriff’s Office said in a Facebook post that “awarded” Mr. Adkins the title “dumb criminal of the week.”

Mr. Adkins became startled and fell to the ground, giving the victim an opportunity to escape, authorities said.

He was later arrested and charged with multiple crimes related to robbery, firearm and sexual-assault offenses. He is being held on a no-bond status.

The incident took place Friday when police said a firearm-toting Mr. Adkins approached the woman and her boyfriend and accused them of “robbing his people.”

Mr. Adkins was pretending to talk to someone on the phone to make his case appear more legitimate, according to authorities, when he ordered the woman to go into the woods while her boyfriend stayed put.

Once they got deep enough into the forest, police said, Mr. Adkins pointed the gun at the woman and told her to perform sexual acts on him.

That’s when the woman gave her response that startled Mr. Adkins and caused her boyfriend to come running to the scene, though Mr. Adkins was able to steal the woman’s cell phone before fleeing the area, authorities said.

As is usual in sex-assault cases, the woman was not named.

• Matt Delaney can be reached at mdelaney@washingtontimes.com.