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Florida woman fatally shot after lunging at officials with a shovel

Posted at 9:13 AM, Nov 13, 2021
and last updated 2021-11-13 09:13:17-05

BARTOW, Fla. (AP) — Officials say a Florida sheriff’s sergeant fatally shot a woman who lunged toward him with a shovel.

A caller told the Polk County Sheriff’s Office on Thursday afternoon that a woman was walking in and out of traffic along a road in Wahneta. Forty-six-year-old Sgt. Sean Speakman arrived just before 3:30 p.m. and told the woman to put down her shovel.

They say she raised the shovel and advanced toward him. He told her “multiple times” to put down shovel. He fired four times. She died at a hospital. An investigation is continuing.