POLK COUNTY, FLORIDA — A volatile domestic dispute turned deadly when 56-year-old Michael Alan Loman, armed with a rifle and threatening to kill his wife and responding officers, was shot and killed by Polk County deputies. Following the shooting, Sheriff Grady Judd had a blunt message for critics: “That was the end of it.”
The incident unfolded after Loman’s wife called 9-1-1, reporting that her husband was firing a rifle inside their mobile home and had threatened both her life and the lives of responding law enforcement officers. He also warned her he would die by “suicide by cop.” During the call, dispatchers reportedly heard gunfire in the background. A witness later told police that a round had narrowly missed them.
Deputies arrived at the residence and were able to safely extract Loman’s wife while the armed suspect moved to a back bedroom to reload. According to officials, Loman was preparing to “kill her and all of the deputies” when he emerged from the home onto the front porch with his rifle.
Despite multiple orders to drop his weapon, Loman refused to comply. With the suspect posing an immediate threat, four deputies opened fire. Loman was pronounced dead at the scene.
Sheriff Grady Judd addressed the shooting in a press conference, prepared for public scrutiny but unshaken in his defense of his officers’ actions. “Michael came out of the house with his long gun, his rifle in hand,” Judd said. “And when he did that, we shot him. A lot. And that was the end of the gunfight.”
Sheriff Judd emphasized that his deputies are trained to eliminate threats in order to protect lives — whether of civilians or fellow officers. “You point a gun at a deputy or a civilian, and you will be met with force. Period,” he stated.
Loman had a criminal history, including a felony for cocaine possession and a domestic violence battery conviction. His past and the threats he made added to the seriousness of the incident.
Though the sheriff acknowledged the mental health concerns often tied to such events, he made it clear that an armed, active threat must be stopped. “We don’t second-guess saving lives,” he said. “Our deputies did exactly what they were trained to do.”
Authorities continue to investigate the incident, but no charges are expected against the deputies involved.
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