I *think* this is some sort of weird rove beetle, but can't seem to find it on bugguide! Aren't it's big eyes adorable!?!

He was very sluggish compared to most rove beetles, but he also felt/looked much more heavily armored than most. He didn't run fast at all and didn't raise his abdomen, and he was more focused on trying to take off. Normally when I see rove beetles take flight they zoom off like a torpedo into the air, but he slowly opened his wings, and then took off, and flew exactly like a lightning bug (slow, floating through the air, abdomen down ect).