Winter Haven Woman Escapes Patrol Car, Grabs For Officer’s Gun After Apartment Shooting

HomeCops and Crime

Winter Haven Woman Escapes Patrol Car, Grabs For Officer’s Gun After Apartment Shooting

Unique Lashiah Isaac
Unique Lashiah Isaac

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – A Monday morning investigation into a domestic shooting turned into a chaotic physical struggle after a suspect escaped a police cruiser and repeatedly tried to disarm a Winter Haven officer.

Unique Lashiah Isaac, 29, now faces a long list of felony charges following the violent encounter at the Gowan Drive apartment complex.

The incident began around 3:28 a.m. on March 2, 2026, when Winter Haven police arrived to find blood near a staircase and shell points scattered outside the building. They met a man suffering from a knife wound who claimed his girlfriend had attacked him while two young children were inside their home. While the victim was taken to a local hospital and the children were secured, the investigation took a turn when Isaac approached a marked police unit where the children were being held.

Noting blood on her clothes and identifying her as a party in the initial dispute, officers handcuffed Isaac and placed her in the back of a separate patrol car. However, Isaac managed to slip out of her restraints, climb through the partition window into the front seat, and flee the vehicle through the passenger door.

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Officers chased Isaac through the complex. When she stumbled and fell, police moved in to secure her, but the struggle escalated. According to department reports, Isaac grabbed for an officer’s handgun and refused to let go of the holster despite repeated commands. To prevent her from drawing the weapon, officers struck her in the head to disorient her and eventually deployed a Taser.

The compliance was short-lived. Once the Taser cycle ended, Isaac allegedly reached for the firearm a second time, leading to a second Taser deployment. It took a team of officers to eventually apply leg restraints and double-secure her hands after she continued to fight back against the equipment.

The initial investigation revealed that the night began with Isaac allegedly cutting the male victim with a knife. When the man tried to return to the apartment to check on the children, Isaac reportedly pointed a gun at her own head and fired shots outside the building before the victim managed to wrestle the gun away from her.

“This was a very scary incident for our victim and the children,” said Winter Haven Police Chief Vance Monroe. “Our officers did everything they could to secure this woman, but her determination to flee and attempts to grab our officer’s weapon has racked up additional charges that should keep her locked away for a while.”

Isaac was transported to the hospital for medical clearance before being booked into the Polk County Jail. Her charges include domestic battery with a deadly weapon, escape, battery on a law enforcement officer, and resisting arrest with violence.

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