POLK COUNTY, Fla. — A man authorities said was a known, wanted suspect is dead after an altercation with law enforcement escalated Thursday night.
The Polk County Sheriff's Office said deputies were alerted that the suspect, 45-year-old Matthew Bruce Coleman, was in the area of West Socrum Loop Road in Lakeland around 7 p.m.
Officials said Coleman was a suspect in multiple crimes and was considered to be armed and dangerous. He also had an active warrant.
Several witnesses told deputies that Coleman was possibly in a backyard shed when they arrived. When the deputies announced their presence, they were immediately shot at from the shed.
Deputies said they established a perimeter and communications with Coleman, but he refused to surrender. He eventually stopped communicating completely.
PCSO said a chemical agent was thrown into the shed, and when deputies finally went in, they found Coleman dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
They added that he had two loaded handguns in the shed with him, along with several spent shell casings.
No one else was injured during the incident.
“We need to listen to the voice of the people, right?”
Last summer, the Florida Department of Environment Protection considered adding amenities like golf courses, pickleball courts, and hotels to state parks across the state. After public outcry, the plans were shelved, but the fight isn't over for some Florida residents.
