Florida Department of Law Enforcement

Police fatally shoot man who made 911 threat near Miami

June 7, 2022 GMT

MIAMI (AP) — A police officer fatally shot a man who called 911 and warned he was going to kill someone if officers didn't respond immediately to his location.

When officers arrived at the location near Miami on Monday evening, they found a man in his 70s outside a home with a rifle, Miami-Dade police said.

Florida officer faces manslaughter charge in man’s death

June 1, 2022 GMT

TITUSVILLE, Fla. (AP) — A Florida police officer will be prosecuted on a manslaughter charge following the fatal shooting of a man he chased on foot last December, authorities said Wednesday.

Joshua Payne, an officer with the Titusville Police Department along Florida's Space Coast, turned himself in to jail on Wednesday.

Gov. DeSantis still hasn’t made decision over sheriff’s lies

May 11, 2022 GMT

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis still has not said whether he will discipline a major county sheriff he appointed who state investigators found lied repeatedly about killing another teenager almost 30 years ago despite saying more than three months ago that he would soon review the case.

Florida prison guards charged with murder in inmate beating

April 28, 2022 GMT

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Three Florida correctional officers were arrested Thursday and charged with murder in the fatal beating of a handcuffed prisoner who had thrown urine at one of the officers, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement announced.

Confrontation with Florida deputies leads to fatal shooting

April 28, 2022 GMT

ORANGE PARK, Fla. (AP) — Sheriff's deputies in north Florida fatally shot a suspect following a confrontation during a chase, officials said.

The shooting happened Wednesday evening, the Clay County Sheriff's Office said in a post on Twitter.

Deputies fatally shoot man outside Florida Target store

April 28, 2022 GMT

KISSIMMEE, Fla. (AP) — Two sheriff's deputies fatally shot a man outside a Target store in central Florida's busy tourist district, officials said.

One person suffered a minor shrapnel injury to the hand and two others were injured when they fell while trying to run away from the area Wednesday night in Kissimmee, officials said.

Sheriff: 41 charged in takedown of Florida gang leadership

April 13, 2022 GMT

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (AP) — A Florida sheriff said Wednesday that 41 people have been charged with dozens of crimes in an effort to take down the leadership of a notoriously violent group called the Sex Money Murder gang.

Authorities: Man killed in break-in after shooting deputy

February 23, 2022 GMT

PERRY, Fla. (AP) — A man was killed while trying to break into a home Wednesday morning after shooting and wounding a deputy during a traffic stop the previous night, officials in Florida said.

Deputies found Gregory Miedema dead at a Dixie County home following a 10-hour manhunt, Florida Department of Law Enforcement special agent Mark Perez said during a news conference.

Florida police officer arrested on excessive force charges

February 17, 2022 GMT

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — A white Florida police officer with a history of excessive force is charged with aggravated battery during his arrest of a Black man accused of trespassing outside a grocery store.

Florida man fatally shot after police say he reached for gun

February 10, 2022 GMT

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — A man who was a suspect in a previous shooting was fatally shot by police in central Florida during an attempted arrest after he appeared to reach for a gun, authorities said.

Ex-supervisor wouldn’t endorse Ladapo as FL’s top doctor

February 4, 2022 GMT

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — A former supervisor of Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo declined to recommend Ladapo to lead the state's health department during a background check, records show.

Investigators: Sheriff lied about past; no criminal charges

February 1, 2022 GMT

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — State law enforcement officials found that a South Florida sheriff lied years ago while applying for a police job, but he will not face criminal charges.

Some of the falsehoods made by Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony were too long ago to prosecute, according to a Florida Department of Law Enforcement report released Monday.

Deputies exchange gunfire with gunman in South Florida

Associated PressDecember 26, 2021 GMT

FORT LAUDEDALE, Fla. (AP) — Deputies in South Florida exchanged gunfire with a suspect who they witnessed firing a gun.

The shooter in Fort Lauderdale escaped in a car Saturday night, but a passenger in the car was dropped off at a hospital with a gunshot wound, the Broward County Sheriff's Office said in a news release.

Suspect in custody after police shooting on PGA Boulevard

Associated PressDecember 22, 2021 GMT

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — A suspect was arrested and hospitalized Wednesday morning following an officer-involved shooting on a busy road in South Florida, police said.

The Palm Beach Gardens Police Department said the shooting occurred on PGA Boulevard east of Interstate 95, but the agency gave few other details in a short news release.

Police officer accused of threats in South Carolina, Florida

December 9, 2021 GMT

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — A police officer who was detained while threatening to jump off a highway overpass in Orlando had been threatening to run his vehicle into a hospital or military base so that authorities would be forced to kill him, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement said.

Chief: Officer fatally shoots man suspected of vehicle theft

November 28, 2021 GMT

CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) — Police officers responding to a call about vehicle thefts on Sunday morning fatally shot one of the supects, officials said.

Coral Gables police officers arriving at the scene observed two people breaking into a U-Haul pickup truck.

Florida deputies fatally shoot man during confrontation

November 16, 2021 GMT

OCALA, Fla. (AP) — Deputies in north Florida fatally shot a man after he refused to drop his weapon during a confrontation, officials said.

Three Marion County Sheriff's deputies responding to a call about shots being fired on Monday night found a dead man in a driveway.

Teen dies in police custody after leading officers on chase

Associated PressNovember 15, 2021 GMT

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. (AP) — A South Florida teenager died in police custody on Monday after he was arrested for a carjacking and leading police officers on a chase, authorities said.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement said it was launching an investigation following the death of the 16-year-old boy, whose name was being withheld until his family was notified.

Florida police shoot man armed with rifle on ex’s property

November 7, 2021 GMT

LARGO, Fla. (AP) — Florida police officers shot a man they said was wandering on his ex-girlfriend's property with a rifle on Saturday.

Sheriff: Man killed in shootout with Florida deputies

October 20, 2021 GMT

PENSACOLA, Fla. (AP) — Sheriff's deputies fatally shot a man who pulled a gun from his waistband and shot at a deputy as he was being questioned near Pensacola, officials said.

The deputy was struck in the leg and taken to a hospital for treatment on Tuesday night, Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simmons said during a news conference.

FBI, state join search for missing Florida college student

October 1, 2021 GMT

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — The FBI and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement have joined a search that spans three counties for a missing college student who disappeared a week ago. Miya Marcano vanished on the same day a maintenance man improperly used a master key to enter her apartment, authorities said.

Florida sues Biden administration over immigration policy

By BRENDAN FARRINGTONSeptember 28, 2021 GMT

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida filed suit against President Joe Biden's administration Tuesday claiming his immigration policy is illegal, and Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis signed an order barring state agencies from assisting with the relocation of undocumented immigrants arriving in the state.

Ex-officer accused of taking $50K from Florida police union

September 8, 2021 GMT

CLERMONT, Fla. (AP) — A former police officer has been arrested on felony charges, accused of stealing nearly $50,000 from a police union while he was its president, officials said.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement said in an email that former Clermont officer Jeremy Kevitt obtained an ATM card in 2014 and used it to spend money from the Clermont Police Officers Union bank accounts without approval.

Florida corrections trainee dies in accidental shooting

August 29, 2021 GMT

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — A Florida Department of Corrections trainee was killed in an accidental shooting, officials say.

The department released a statement Saturday identifying the trainee as Whitney Cloud, who had been with the agency since June.

Undercover Florida law officer, suspect shot in drug sting

June 2, 2021 GMT

KISSIMMEE, Fla. (AP) — An undercover officer was shot during a drug sting Tuesday while chasing a car full of suspects, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

FLDE agents from Tampa and Orlando were following several suspects in a car outside a Kissimmee condominium building Tuesday when the suspects started shooting at the agents.

Operation Thou Shalt Not Steal nets church theft suspects

By BRENDAN FARRINGTONMay 26, 2021 GMT

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — A Florida-based group of Romanian nationals stole $740,000 from hundreds of churches by taking donation checks from their mailboxes and cashing them, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement said Wednesday.

Officers fatally shoot man at Florida apartment complex

May 12, 2021 GMT

BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Police officers fatally shot a man while responding to a domestic disturbance call at a South Florida apartment complex, investigators said.

Boynton Beach police officers responded shortly after 10 p...

Florida clears officials in treatment of Jeffrey Epstein

By TERRY SPENCERMay 10, 2021 GMT

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Florida detectives have cleared Palm Beach County prosecutors and sheriff's officials of criminal wrongdoing in connection with their handling of wealthy and prominent sex offender Jeffrey Epstein more than a decade ago, reports released Monday show...

Florida inquiry clears Bloomberg over felons voting case

By BOBBY CAINA CALVANMay 5, 2021 GMT

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida authorities on Wednesday closed a criminal investigation into fund-raising efforts by former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg to pay off the outstanding fines of thousands of the state's felons seeking to reclaim their voting rights, finding no violations of election law...

Florida Teen charged as adult in rigged homecoming election

May 4, 2021 GMT

PENSACOLA, Fla. (AP) — A Florida teen accused of rigging a homecoming queen election with her mother is being charged as an adult, prosecutors said...