By John Weston
BARTOW, FL – Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd issued a forceful defense of federal immigration agents Tuesday, sharply criticizing Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey’s response to an officer-involved shooting during an ICE operation and warning that suspects who use vehicles as weapons against law enforcement should “expect to be shot.”
In a video statement recorded from his office and circulated to media outlets, Sheriff Judd addressed the Minneapolis incident while directing pointed criticism at city leadership for what he characterized as premature and unprofessional commentary about the confrontation. Link to Mayor Video
“Accountability starts with the mayor,” Judd said in the video, accusing Minneapolis’ top official of using “filthy, uninformed talk” in public remarks about the incident. “Shame on you. That is a lack of professionalism toward your city, your state, and our nation.”
The Polk County sheriff was responding to an incident in Minneapolis where ICE agents discharged their firearms during an immigration enforcement operation. While acknowledging the investigation is ongoing, Judd based his comments on widely circulated video footage of the encounter.
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According to Judd’s account of the video, federal law enforcement officers and ICE agents were attempting to remove the occupant of a vehicle when the situation rapidly escalated. “During this encounter, the vehicle backed up and then drove directly at the ICE agent,” Judd explained, describing the car as “a two-ton deadly weapon.”
The sheriff characterized the driver’s actions as a “deadly assault on a law enforcement officer” and said the use of force was a predictable response to the threat posed.
“They should have expected to be shot when you commit a deadly assault on a law enforcement officer,” Judd stated. He expanded the warning beyond the Minneapolis incident, saying anyone who violently resists arrest and commits “felonious assaults with two-ton weapons” should anticipate officers will respond with deadly force.
Beyond defending the federal agents’ actions, Judd used the opportunity to call for unified messaging from Minnesota leadership. He said Mayor Frey, the Minneapolis police chief, the local sheriff, and Governor Tim Walz should all be delivering the same message to residents: cooperate with law enforcement, do not resist, and do not violently resist.
“Let’s send out the message loud and clear,” Judd said, urging officials to support officers tasked with managing dangerous situations rather than second-guessing their split-second decisions before investigations conclude.
The statement reflects Sheriff Judd’s longstanding approach of offering blunt criticism of leaders he believes undermine law enforcement while providing vocal support for officers who use deadly force when facing perceived threats.
The Minneapolis incident has reignited national debates over immigration enforcement, use of force by federal agents, and the role of local officials in commenting on active investigations. Sheriff Judd’s comments inject a strong law-and-order perspective from Central Florida into the controversy.
As of publication, the investigation into the Minneapolis shooting remains ongoing, with federal authorities reviewing the incident and body camera footage.
For more local news and updates from Polk County, visit dailyridge.com.
