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Suspect Shot by Florida Deputy was “Asking to be Killed”

Polk County Deputy Lindsey Clem, 30, arrived on scene where she was confronted by the unidentified man coming toward her and pulling a knife from his pocket. Clem told the man to drop the knife several times, Sheriff Grady Judd said.

by Staff
April 15, 2025
Suspect Shot by Florida Deputy was “Asking to be Killed”

Polk County, Florida, Sheriff Grady Judd speaks at a press conference about a deputy-involved shooting that killed man wielding a knife.

Credit:

Screen Shot from Polk County SO Video


A Polk County, Florida, sheriff's deputy shot and killed an armed man who was breaking into homes "asking to be killed," according to the Sheriff's Office.

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Sheriff Grady Judd said the department received a 911 call Friday at about 12:50 p.m. reporting a suspicious 43-year-old man who had wandered into a homeowner's garage asking for a gun, stating he wanted to be shot and killed, the Ledger reports.

The 78-year-old homeowner said he managed to make the unidentified man leave his garage without anyone being injured.

The man went into a second home, where a woman said she was asked if she had a gun because he wanted to be killed. The homeowner called 911.

Polk County Deputy Lindsey Clem, 30, arrived on scene where she was confronted by the unidentified man coming toward her and pulling a knife from his pocket. Clem told the man to drop the knife several times, Judd said, and called for backup while trying to put the patrol car between herself and the man.

A second deputy, Clint Wofford, 35, arrived on the scene, shifting the armed man's attention. Wofford also told the man to drop the weapon.

When the man did not, Wofford fired his gun multiples times, striking the man. The suspect died on the scene.


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