LAKELAND, Fla. — The Polk County Sheriff's Office released the names of the law enforcement officers who Sheriff Grady Judd said shot an "active shooter" to death Friday night in Lakeland.
The sheriff's office confirmed 33-year-old Naiem Ali, 33-year-old Brian Bates, 21-year-old Michael Kohler and 31-year-old Adam Pennel were the deputies who responded to the situation. Sheriff's office spokesperson Scott Wilder told 10 Tampa Bay all four deputies are on paid administrative leave "during the initial phase of the investigation."
According to the sheriff's office, the situation started when 56-year-old Michael Loman's wife called 911 Friday evening.
She reportedly told dispatchers Loman had been drinking earlier in the day and was shooting a rifle inside and outside their mobile home on Combee Road North in Lakeland and had threatened to kill her. Additionally, she told them he threatened "suicide by cop" if deputies came to the home and threatened to kill them, the agency said.
During the 911, the sheriff's office says dispatchers heard a gunshot.
As deputies were en route to the home, the woman was still on the phone with dispatchers, and Loman came back into the home saying he need to reload, the agency said. It was then his wife left the home.
Soon after, deputies arrived and were able to make sure Loman's wife made it to safety.
As deputies were at the home, they say Loman came out onto the front porch "brandishing a rifle." Despite being told multiple times to drop the gun, he refused to, the sheriff's office said.
At some point, deputies shot Loman and he died. No one else was hurt.
"He chose for us to shoot him," Judd said Friday. "And we accommodated his request."