A teen accused of killing his mom in Florida was once charged in Oklahoma in his dad's death
A teenager who is accused of stabbing his mother to death in Florida was freed last year after charges were dropped in the fatal shooting of his father in Oklahoma.
‘We feared this might be a copycat’: Teen arrested in threat of Polk County high school day after shooting in Georgia
A Florida teen is accused of threatening to shoot up a school just a day after a shooting at a Georgia high school.
LIVE: Gov. DeSantis holds news conference in Winter Haven amid protests against Florida state parks development plans
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday is set to hold a news conference with law enforcement officials in Winter Haven.
UF pre-med student stabs mom to death in Polk County because ‘she got on my nerves,’ sheriff says
A 21-year-old college student is charged with first-degree murder after Florida authorities say he drove to his mother’s home and stabbed her multiple times because she got on his nerves.
18-month-old is fifth Florida child to die in a hot car this year
An 18-month-old girl was found dead in a hot car overnight, after her parents left her to attend a Fourth of July party. It's the tenth child to die after being left in a hot car in the country and the fifth child to die in Florida so far this year, according to Kids and Car Safety.
Parents charged with manslaughter after leaving 18-month-old in hot car overnight
A mother and father in Lakeland left their 18-month-old daughter in a hot car overnight, which killed her, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
13-year-old, police officer injured in gun battle in Florida, authorities say
Officials say a 13-year-old exchanged gunfire with police after a chase through a Florida neighborhood and was taken to the hospital after being shot at himself.
Sheriff: 41 charged in multi-agency, year-long takedown of Florida gang leadership
A Florida sheriff says 41 people are charged with dozens of crimes in an effort to take down the leadership of a group called the Sex Money Murder gang.
Fleeing Florida man breaks beer bottle over head, deputy fires back thinking it was gunshot
Officials say a man suspected in a series of central Florida crimes broke a beer bottle over his head and was shot by a sheriff’s deputy who thought the sound was a gunshot.
3rd Florida victim dies after angry co-worker’s rampage
Authorities say a third victim has died following a violent attack where an angry electrician wielding a knife and baseball bat killed three co-workers and injured another at the Florida home they shared.
Sheriff: Florida family massacre followed random encounter
A Florida sheriff says a chance encounter with a former Marine beset by delusions of child sex trafficking ultimately led to the massacre of four members of a Florida family including mother holding a baby boy.
Sheriff: Florida family massacre followed random encounter
A Florida sheriff says a chance encounter with a former Marine beset by delusions of child sex trafficking ultimately led to the massacre of four members of a Florida family including mother holding a baby boy.
Ex-Marine held without bond in shooting of Florida family
A former Marine sharpshooter accused of invading the home of apparent strangers in Florida and fatally shooting a woman, her 3-month-old baby and two others was ordered held without bail.
Ex-Marine held without bond in shooting of Florida family
A former Marine sharpshooter accused of invading the home of apparent strangers in Florida and fatally shooting a woman, her 3-month-old baby and two others was ordered held without bail.
Florida gunman killed 4, including mom still holding baby
A Florida sheriff says a man wearing full body armor fatally shot four people, including a mother and the 3-month-old baby she was cradling, and engaged in a massive gunfight with police and deputies before getting wounded and surrendering.
Florida gunman killed 4, including mom still holding baby
A Florida sheriff says a man wearing full body armor fatally shot four people, including a mother and the 3-month-old baby she was cradling, and engaged in a massive gunfight with police and deputies before getting wounded and surrendering.
Florida 3-year-old finds gun in sofa, accidentally shoots 2-year-old sister
Florida authorities say a 3-year-old boy accidentally shot his 2-year-old sister after finding a gun that had been hidden between sofa cushions by a family friend.
2 in custody after Florida wildlife officer run over by ATV
Sheriff Grady Judd is seen giving details to the news media about the attack of a Florida Fish & Wildlife Officer Sunday January 3. AVON PARK, Fla. – Polk County authorities have two people in custody and were searching for a third person after a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officer was run over by an ATV during a Saturday night confrontation. The Polk County Sheriff said on Facebook Live that the officer was patrolling the Avon Park Bombing Range when he spotted three people shining a spotlight into the Avon Park Bombing Range property. The assailants ran over the officer as they fled the scene, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office. The officer was taken to the hospital, treated for injuries and released.
Florida sheriff: $30,000 reward offered in triple homicide
FROSTPROOF, Fla. Authorities in central Florida have offered a $30,000 reward for information that helps solve the killings of three best friends who had gathered last Friday for a night of fishing. In a Facebook post, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said the reward was made possible by contributions from Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Florida Sheriffs Association. Tillman arrived at the lake first to meet his friends for night fishing for catfish. The father arrived about 10 minutes later but forget his cellphone in a rush to help his son. By the time help arrived, his son had died.
3 friends slain while preparing to fish at Florida lake
Three friends were slain just moments after gathering together for some night fishing at a lake in central Florida, authorities said Saturday. This is a horrific scene, Judd said at a news conference Saturday near Lake Streety where the bodies were found. Judd said this is what investigators believe happened: Tillman arrived at the lake first to meet his friends for night fishing for catfish. He drove to a nearby convenience store, and the clerk helped him reach authorities, but by the time they arrived, Rollins had died. This is a dirt road, a clay dirt road, way out in the middle of what we call Gods country, on the way to a nice little fishing lake.
Sheriff: Florida woman accused in death of 4-month-old baby
WINTER HAVEN, Fla. A 28-year-old Florida woman is accused in the death of an infant who was left in her care, sheriff's officials said. Samantha Mariel Angeles De La Rosa was arrested Wednesday in the death of the 4-month-old girl, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said in a statement. Deputies found the baby unresponsive with multiple bruises on her head, face and body when they went to the home Tuesday, the sheriff's statement said. Angeles told investigators that a 21-month-old toddler pulled the baby off of a changing table, causing her to fall to the floor, a report said. She told investigators she grabbed the baby by the shoulders and struck her head against the changing table, the report said.
Florida motorcycle officer killed in crash
LAKELAND, Fla. – A Florida motorcycle officer was killed in a crash while driving his police-issued Harley-Davidson to work Thursday morning, authorities said. Officer Paul Dunn, 50, died shortly before 6 a.m., according to a post on the with the Lakeland Police Department’s Facebook page. Passing motorists saw the motorcycle and stopped to help Dunn, Judd said. “We have suffered a tragic loss out here this morning,” Garcia said during the news conference. “It’s a tragic loss for the agency and the community as well.
Disney security guard arrives naked to Florida prostitution sting
POLK COUNTY, Fla. – Florida authorities have arrested 124 people in an undercover sting. Investigators were targeting those involved in prostitution, human trafficking and child predators in Polk County. Most were caught arriving for the sex they thought they were promised in an online ad. Including Rodney Davis, a Disney security guard. A pastor and a Universal Studios waiter.
Disney employees, UCF student among 17 arrested for child pornography, deputies say
POLK COUNTY, Fla. - Two Walt Disney World employees and a University of Central Florida student were among those arrested Thursday during a child porn bust, officials said. According to authorities, Operation Guardians of Innocence IV: Fall Haul was a month-long special investigation by the Polk County Sheriff's Office Computer Crimes Unit. The investigators focused on identifying members of the community who possessed and shared child pornography, deputies said. According to officials, some men arrested had contacted children or were soliciting sexually explicit photos of children. Each one of these arrests has removed a predator from our streets, and the internet," Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said.
Disney employees, UCF student among 17 arrested for child pornography, deputies say
POLK COUNTY, Fla. - Two Walt Disney World employees and a University of Central Florida student were among those arrested Thursday on suspicion of soliciting child pornography, officials said. According to authorities, Operation Guardians of Innocence IV: Fall Haul was a month-long special investigation by the Polk County Sheriff's Office Computer Crimes Unit. The investigators focused on identifying members of the community who possessed and shared child pornography, deputies said. According to officials, some men arrested had contacted children or were soliciting sexually explicit photos of children. Each one of these arrests has removed a predator from our streets, and the internet," Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said.
State education officials seek more money for safety measures
The state agencys budget request, approved by the Florida Board of Education on Wednesday, also contains an additional $1.4 million to maintain school resource officers in each Florida public school. Under sweeping legislation passed shortly after the Feb. 14, 2018 shooting in Parkland, all public schools are required to have trained, armed security personnel onsite. But up until recently, many schools -- particularly charter schools -- have struggled to comply with that requirement. Corcoran acknowledged Wednesday that charter schools have struggled to have armed security certified by the state. The move to increase spending to maintain school safety officers comes days after the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission blasted charter schools for not having long-term plans to have armed security on campus.
Education officials eye school safety, mental health
Addressing mental health issues and hardening schools have been two high-profile education issues in the wake of last years mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland. With that in mind, Florida Department of Education officials have proposed policy changes to address those two issues. State education leaders also want to make policy changes aimed at boosting the pool of mental health professionals that can work in schools. Judd applauded the move to expand access to mental health treatment for students. Thats why we need the mental health counselors, Judd said.