Polk County Deputy Blane Lane, 21, was shot and killed by friendly fire while serving a warrant early Tuesday morning.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office received a Crime Stoppers tip on a suspect with a felony warrant named Cheryl Lynn Williams. Williams had a failure to appear warrant for possession of Methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia. The tipster advised Williams was staying at a mobile home at 4345 Foxtown South near Mawtris Lane in Polk City.
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A Sergeant and three deputies went to the target house to arrest Williams for the warrant at approximately 0300 hours. Upon arrival, there was a witness at the front door. The deputies asked if Williams was there and were told she was around back. The deputies went to the back and a second witness told them Williams was inside. The Sgt. and two deputies entered the home in search of Williams, with deputy lane posted outside near the front door to prevent an escape.
As the three entered, Williams ran into a back bedroom and the deputies followed. Once inside the room, Williams turned and pointed a pistol at them. The Sgt. and one deputy fired approximately six rounds at Williams. Williams was hit by 2 of the rounds and went down. Deputy Lane called out “I’m hit.”
One of the witnesses said that Deputy Lane went down to one knee putting pressure on the wound with his hand. It appears that one of the rounds went through the exterior wall, struck deputy lane in the arm, and traveled over into his chest. Lane was transported to the hospital and where he passed away from his injuries.
🔹 Blessed Are The Peacemakers 🔹
Deputy Sheriff Blane Lane
Polk County Sheriff's Office, Florida
EOW: Tuesday, October 4, 2022#EnoughIsEnough #OfficerDown #EOW #ThinBlueLine pic.twitter.com/huJwGpGw2o
— National Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) (@GLFOP) October 4, 2022
It is with deep sadness and regret to hear of the loss of 21 year old Polk County Deputy Sheriff Blane Lane last evening. May he rest in peace, and may God bless the family, colleagues, and friends he left behind. #RIP 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻 pic.twitter.com/5sFl1EhgQS
— Bernard B. Kerik (@BernardKerik) October 4, 2022
Deputy Blane Lane was shot in the left arm, the bullet entering his chest. He was rushed to the hospital but died at Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center.https://t.co/Da3spOOiyB
— WPEC CBS12 News (@CBS12) October 4, 2022
Unbeknownst to the deputies, Williams saw Deputies arriving and picked up the pistol. One of the witnesses told her she shouldn’t do that. Williams told them when they come to “let them in.”
Williams is no stranger to law enforcement with a criminal history that includes 11 felony arrests and four misdemeanor arrests. She also served nine years in Florida State Prison for trafficking methamphetamine.
Upon closer look, the pistol was found to be a bb gun replica of a Beretta model 92 which Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd displayed at the press conference. Sheriff Judd was visually distraught at the press conference and had this to say.
“It is my belief that at this early stage of the investigation she clearly and unequivocally wanted to put us into a gun fight with her and/or a suicide by cop”
Williams was shot twice but is in stable condition and is expected to live. She will be charged with second-degree murder after she gets out of the hospital.
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