LAKELAND, Fla. — A tense standoff in a quiet Lakeland neighborhood ended in gunfire Tuesday night after a man allegedly opened fire on deputies who were attempting to prevent his suicide. Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd confirmed that 76-year-old Ronald Breese is deceased following the confrontation in the 2900 block of Socrum Loop Road West.
The incident began when deputies responded to a 911 call reporting that Breese was sitting on his porch with a handgun to his head. According to Sheriff Judd, five deputies arrived and began attempting to de-escalate the situation, risking their lives to talk Breese down.
The situation took a sharp, unpredictable turn when the man’s wife, 71-year-old Janice Breese, unexpectedly drove up the long driveway and jumped out of her car, running toward her husband.
“She pays absolutely no attention to the deputies,” Judd said during a late-night press briefing. He highlighted the actions of Deputy Emily Sidor, who reportedly dropped her ballistic shield and exposed herself to the armed suspect in order to tackle Janice and pull her to safety.
As Sidor moved to protect the man’s wife, investigators say Ronald Breese stood up and fired at least one shot at the deputies. Four deputies—Christopher Bellido, Drew Kennedy, Daniel Roque, and Dillon Wrenn—returned fire with handguns and a rifle
“Our deputies did not choose to shoot Ronald. Ronald chose for us to shoot him,” Judd stated, adding that the deputies “shot him a lot” after being fired upon.
Despite immediate attempts at first aid and emergency recovery, Breese was pronounced dead at the scene. No deputies or civilians were injured during the exchange of gunfire.
While the exact motive remains under investigation, preliminary reports suggest Breese may have been drinking and was reportedly upset over a recent business transaction. Detectives are currently interviewing Janice Breese at the Northwest District station to gather more context on the events leading up to the 911 call.
In accordance with standard protocol, the 10th Judicial Circuit Officer Involved Deadly Incident Task Force has taken over the investigation. The team includes independent detectives from outside the Sheriff’s Office, a homicide lawyer from the State Attorney’s Office, and the Medical Examiner.
Sheriff Judd praised the professionalism of his team, specifically citing the split-second decision-making required to protect the wife while under fire.
“They protected each other. They protected Emily and they protected Janice,” Judd said. The findings of the multi-agency investigation will eventually be turned over to the State Attorney for a final review.
ORIGINAL REPORT: Flashing lights have taken over the 2000 block of Socrum Loop Road West tonight as investigators piece together the moments leading up to a deputy-involved shooting.
The 10th Judicial Circuit Officer Involved Deadly Incident Task Force was called to the scene late Tuesday afternoon to lead the probe into the shooting.
Initial reports from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office confirm that while a suspect was shot during the encounter, no deputies sustained injuries.
The suspect’s condition has not yet been released to the public.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd is currently en route to the scene to oversee the investigation. He is scheduled to provide a formal briefing to the media at 9:00 p.m. from the agency’s mobile command center.
The Sheriff’s Office has indicated they plan to broadcast the update via Facebook Live, though they noted that the stream will be subject to weather conditions and signal strength in the area.
Details regarding what sparked the confrontation or the identity of the individual shot remain under wraps.
This is a developing story.
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