'On-the-job disagreement' led to Davenport triple murder, sheriff says
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Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd on Monday identified the three out-of-state contractors killed over the weekend in Davenport, allegedly by an angry co-worker.

47-year-old Lakeland man posed as teenager to obtain nude photos of 14-year-old girl, sheriff says

Polk deputies arrested a 47-year-old Lakeland man who they said went on Snapchat and began messaging a 14-year-old girl, telling her he was 17 in order to get her to send him nude photos.

Video shows trooper's maneuver that saved deputy during I-4 chase

A Polk County sheriff's deputy can thank an FHP trooper for possibly saving his life Monday during a police chase along Interstate 4.

‘I would have never let him out of custody’: Sheriff Grady Judd's reaction to search for Brian Laundrie

Sheriff Grady Judd is not involved in the Gabby Petito case, but the Polk County sheriff speculated on how he would’ve handled Brian Laundrie within his jurisdiction. For one, he said, Brian would have been taken into custody.

15 Kathleen High School students arrested after rowdy protest

It was a rough start to the week at Kathleen High School in Lakeland. Hundreds of students protested outside the school, and as tensions escalated, law enforcement was called in to keep the calm.

Giant rattlesnake caught in Polk County
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A wildlife trapper said he captured a massive rattlesnake in Polk County. A woman called Dustin Hooper with All Creatures Wildlife Control for help after she spotted the snake in her chicken coop. Hooper said the snake was nearly six feet in length and estimated it was about 10 years old.

After just one day on the job, firefighter puts training into action

Jacob Perez had had just completed his first shift as a firefighter after graduating two days earlier. He was headed home when he came across a terrible crash but sprung into action while off duty, rendering aid until responding Clermont units arrived.

Polk woman scrambles to find ECMO machine as husband fights for his life

Kassandra Figueroa is a desperate woman. She is on a mission to find something that is very scarce – an apparatus called an ECMO – to save her husband’s life.

Sheriff Judd: 11-year-old girl who survived shooting played dead, prayed

An 11-year-old girl is the only person to survive the shooting. Sheriff Judd said the girl told investigators she played dead and prayed. Sheriff Judd said the suspect, Bryan Riley, shot the girl several times in the legs before a deputy ran into the home to save her.

11-year-old girl survived gunman's massacre of her family by playing dead, Sheriff Grady Judd says

Sheriff Grady Judd says the 11-year-old girl who was the sole survivor of the massacre that killed four of her family members survived the mass shooting by playing dead, despite being shot multiple times.

Polk politicians push to promote ivermectin as COVID-19 drug, despite medical advice

Even though the drug ivermectin is not approved by the FDA for use against COVID-19, a growing number of people are taking it. Now some Polk County commissioners want the governor to endorse it as an alternative therapy.

Sheriff Judd: Lakeland shooting suspect was in Orlando days before shooting

Sheriff Grady Judd says just a few days before the killings happened in Lakeland, suspect Bryan Riley was in Orlando working security at a church. 

Judge denies bond for ex-Marine accused of murdering 4, including mother and her baby

A horrific shooting in Polk County left four people dead, including a mother and her young infant. An 11-year-old girl was also injured by the suspect, a former Marine who was denied bond by a Polk County judge on Monday morning. 

Community in shock after brutal Polk County killings

Five people were shot, four killed, including a mother and her 3-month-old son. The survivor, an 11-year-old girl, is recovering at a Tampa hospital.

Sheriff: ‘Survivalist’ on meth kills 4, including infant, fires at deputies before surrendering

Four people were killed, including an infant, and an 11-year-old girl was injured by a self-described survivalist on meth early Sunday morning, according to Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd.