LAKELAND, Fla. – The Tenth Judicial Circuit Officer Involved Deadly Incident Task Force is investigating an officer-involved shooting that happened in the 4200 block of US Highway 98 North, at the Village Plaza in Lakeland.
The incident started around 12:41 p.m. when Lakeland Police officers responded to reports of a man appearing incapacitated behind the wheel of a white Lincoln sedan. The car was stopped at a stop sign with the engine running. Officers tried to contact the man, but he woke up, hit a nearby car, and fled. Officers did not pursue at that time.
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Later, officers spotted the man at a gas station and again tried to stop him. He fled a second time, and again, officers did not pursue.
At 1:18 p.m., the man’s vehicle was found parked at the Village Plaza. As officers approached, he moved from the back seat to the front and repeatedly rammed two police cars in an attempt to escape. One officer then fired several shots at the suspect.
The man, identified as 57-year-old John Alfred Hofman of Webster, Florida, fled again and was pursued by officers onto US Highway 98 North and then Wedgewood Estates Boulevard, where he crashed near Douglas M. Cook Park.
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One officer sustained minor injuries and was treated and released from Lakeland Regional Health. Hofman was taken into custody and transported to Lakeland Regional Health for evaluation but had no apparent injuries. He was then taken to the Polk County Jail.
In addition to charges from this incident, Hofman had felony warrants from Sumter and Volusia counties, including Fleeing to Elude and Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon. He has a history of over 30 criminal charges and 10 felony convictions.
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