(Cupventi.com) – A tragic event unfolded in Lake County, Florida, when a sheriff’s deputy was killed and two other deputies were injured in what authorities described as an ambush shooting inside a residence. The incident occurred late Friday night as deputies responded to reports of a physical disturbance at a home in the rural area of Eustis.
According to John Herrell, spokesperson for the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, the deputies initially managed to separate the individuals involved in the disturbance. Subsequently, they were requested to investigate another nearby residence. Upon arrival, two deputies discovered a door that appeared to have been forcibly entered.
“When the deputies entered the home, there was a lot of gunfire,” stated Sheriff Peyton Grinnell during a press briefing at the scene. One deputy was immediately shot and became trapped inside the home, while the other deputy retreated. Additional officers arrived and attempted a rescue, but were met with a barrage of gunfire, resulting in another deputy being shot.
The first deputy who was shot and trapped inside the house did not survive his injuries. Sheriff Grinnell later identified him as Master Deputy Sheriff Bradley Michael Link. The second deputy, wounded in the shoulder, is reported to be in stable condition. A third deputy, hit multiple times in the armpit, groin, and stomach, was undergoing surgery.
The situation was described as chaotic, with SWAT team members eventually breaching the house to retrieve the fallen deputy. “We have equipment for that and that’s the reason we have this equipment, and we tore the home apart to get in there so we could get that deputy out of there,” Grinnell said, emphasizing the intensity of the encounter.
SWAT team members found two suspects dead inside the house, while a third was taken to a hospital. Sheriff Grinnell noted that there was no prior indication of violence associated with the residence. “They were ambushed,” he said.
Master Deputy Sheriff Bradley Michael Link, 28, had a distinguished career with the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. He initially joined as a young explorer, served in the Army Reserves, and then became a deputy sheriff with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office in 2017. He joined the Lake County Sheriff’s Office in 2019 and was highly regarded for his dedication and courage.
In a statement, the sheriff’s office expressed profound grief over Link’s death: “Brad, as our Sheriff’s Office family knew him, touched the lives of all who were blessed enough to work with him; his contributions and the impact of this loss will not soon be forgotten.”
This heartbreaking incident underscores the perils faced by law enforcement officers and the devastating impact such events have on their communities.