<div align=justify style=colorrgb555555 font familyArialVerdanaHelveticasans serif font size16px font stylenormal font variant ligaturesnormal font variant capsnormal font weight400 letter spacingnormal orphans2 text indent0px text transformnone white spacenormal widows2 word spacing0px webkit text stroke width0px background colorrgb255255255 text decoration thicknessinitial text decoration styleinitial text decoration colorinitial text alignleft><span style=font size12px colorrgb000 font familyArialVerdanaHelveticasans serif font weightbold line height18px>LAKELAND FL <span><span style=font size12px colorrgb000 font familyArialVerdanaHelveticasans serif line height18px>March 7 2021 <span> <span><span><span style=font size12px line height18px>On Sunday March 7 2021 at 625 am the Lakeland Police Department LPD received a call requesting officers to respond to the 5400 block of Quarry Rock Road related to a disturbance involving a man with a gun Three uniform patrol officers responded to the location inside the Cobblestone Landing Townhomes property <span><div><div align=justify style=colorrgb555555 font familyArialVerdanaHelveticasans serif font size16px font stylenormal font variant ligaturesnormal font variant capsnormal font weight400 letter spacingnormal orphans2 text indent0px text transformnone white spacenormal widows2 word spacing0px webkit text stroke width0px background colorrgb255255255 text decoration thicknessinitial text decoration styleinitial text decoration colorinitial text alignleft><div><div align=justify style=colorrgb555555 font familyArialVerdanaHelveticasans serif font size16px font stylenormal font variant ligaturesnormal font variant capsnormal font weight400 letter spacingnormal orphans2 text indent0px text transformnone white spacenormal widows2 word spacing0px webkit text stroke width0px background colorrgb255255255 text decoration thicknessinitial text decoration styleinitial text decoration colorinitial text alignleft><span style=font size12px line height18px>As officers arrived on the scene they observed a man with a handgun and a woman standing outside the residence in the parking area As the female turned toward the direction of one of the officers the suspect pointed his gun and shot the female victim Officer Brent Behrens immediately returned fire shooting the suspect Officers began rendering aid to both the suspect and victim while awaiting emergency medical professionals to arrive Polk County Fire Rescue and the Lakeland Fire Department all arrived on the scene to also provide life saving measures The shooting suspect 35 year old Howayne T Gayle was pronounced deceased at the scene and the gun he possessed was recovered The 37 year old female shooting victim was transported to Lakeland Regional Health Sadly despite the best efforts of medical professionals she succumbed to her injuries at the hospital <span><div><div align=justify style=colorrgb555555 font familyArialVerdanaHelveticasans serif font size16px font stylenormal font variant ligaturesnormal font variant capsnormal font weight400 letter spacingnormal orphans2 text indent0px text transformnone white spacenormal widows2 word spacing0px webkit text stroke width0px background colorrgb255255255 text decoration thicknessinitial text decoration styleinitial text decoration colorinitial text alignleft><div><div align=justify style=colorrgb555555 font familyArialVerdanaHelveticasans serif font size16px font stylenormal font variant ligaturesnormal font variant capsnormal font weight400 letter spacingnormal orphans2 text indent0px text transformnone white spacenormal widows2 word spacing0px webkit text stroke width0px background colorrgb255255255 text decoration thicknessinitial text decoration styleinitial text decoration colorinitial text alignleft><span style=font size12px line height18px>Detectives have since learned that the victim and Gayle had been in a romantic relationship prior to a recent break up Gayle came to the townhome this morning and broke into the residence after he was not allowed entry into the home Inside the home were the victim and her 19 year old daughter The victim went outside the residence with Gayle where officers found them upon arriving at the scene <span><div><div align=justify style=colorrgb555555 font familyArialVerdanaHelveticasans serif font size16px font stylenormal font variant ligaturesnormal font variant capsnormal font weight400 letter spacingnormal orphans2 text indent0px text transformnone white spacenormal widows2 word spacing0px webkit text stroke width0px background colorrgb255255255 text decoration thicknessinitial text decoration styleinitial text decoration colorinitial text alignleft><div><div align=justify style=colorrgb555555 font familyArialVerdanaHelveticasans serif font size16px font stylenormal font variant ligaturesnormal font variant capsnormal font weight400 letter spacingnormal orphans2 text indent0px text transformnone white spacenormal widows2 word spacing0px webkit text stroke width0px background colorrgb255255255 text decoration thicknessinitial text decoration styleinitial text decoration colorinitial text alignleft><span style=font size12px line height18px><span>Anyone with information related to the case is encouraged to contact Detective Laura Dunn at<span> <span><a href=tel+18638346974 style=text decoration underline color rgb0 120 215>8638346974<a><span> <span>or<span> <span><span><a class=ms outlook linkify href=mailtolauradunnlakelandgovnet style=text decoration underline color rgb0 120 215 important>lauradunnlakelandgovnet<a><span> To remain anonymous contact Heartland Crime Stoppers Florida call<span> <span><a href=tel+11800226 style=text decoration underline color rgb0 120 215>1 800 226<a><span> <span>TIPS 8477 dial TIPS from your cell phone visit the website<span> <span><span><a class=ms outlook linkify href=httpwwwheartlandcrimestopperscom style=text decoration underline color rgb0 120 215 important>wwwheartlandcrimestopperscom<a><span> <span>and click on Submit A Tip or download the free P3tips app on your smartphone or tablet<span><div><div align=justify style=colorrgb555555 font familyArialVerdanaHelveticasans serif font size16px font stylenormal font variant ligaturesnormal font variant capsnormal font weight400 letter spacingnormal orphans2 text indent0px text transformnone white spacenormal widows2 word spacing0px webkit text stroke width0px background colorrgb255255255 text decoration thicknessinitial text decoration styleinitial text decoration colorinitial text alignleft><div><div align=justify style=colorrgb555555 font familyArialVerdanaHelveticasans serif font size16px font stylenormal font variant ligaturesnormal font variant capsnormal font weight400 letter spacingnormal orphans2 text indent0px text transformnone white spacenormal widows2 word spacing0px webkit text stroke width0px background colorrgb255255255 text decoration thicknessinitial text decoration styleinitial text decoration colorinitial text alignleft><span style=font size12px line height18px>The name of the victim is being withheld in accordance with Marsys Law <span><div><div align=justify style=colorrgb555555 font familyArialVerdanaHelveticasans serif font size16px font stylenormal font variant ligaturesnormal font variant capsnormal font weight400 letter spacingnormal orphans2 text indent0px text transformnone white spacenormal widows2 word spacing0px webkit text stroke width0px background colorrgb255255255 text decoration thicknessinitial text decoration styleinitial text decoration colorinitial text alignleft><div><div align=justify style=colorrgb555555 font familyArialVerdanaHelveticasans serif font size16px font stylenormal font variant ligaturesnormal font variant capsnormal font weight400 letter spacingnormal orphans2 text indent0px text transformnone white spacenormal widows2 word spacing0px webkit text stroke width0px background colorrgb255255255 text decoration thicknessinitial text decoration styleinitial text decoration colorinitial text alignleft><span style=font size12px line height18px>Standard protocol for all officer involved shootings will include two independent investigations The LPD Violent Crimes unit will conduct an investigation of the shooting LPDs Office of Professional Standards will also conduct an administrative review The results of these investigations will be forwarded to the State Attorneys Office for review Per agency protocol Ofc Behrens will be on administrative leave with pay during the initial phase of the investigation<span><div><div align=justify style=colorrgb555555 font familyArialVerdanaHelveticasans serif font size16px font stylenormal font variant ligaturesnormal font variant capsnormal font weight400 letter spacingnormal orphans2 text indent0px text transformnone white spacenormal widows2 word spacing0px webkit text stroke width0px background colorrgb255255255 text decoration thicknessinitial text decoration styleinitial text decoration colorinitial text alignleft><span style=font size12px line height18px> <span><div><div align=justify style=colorrgb555555 font familyArialVerdanaHelveticasans serif font size16px font stylenormal font variant ligaturesnormal font variant capsnormal font weight400 letter spacingnormal orphans2 text indent0px text transformnone white spacenormal widows2 word spacing0px webkit text stroke width0px background colorrgb255255255 text decoration thicknessinitial text decoration styleinitial text decoration colorinitial text alignleft><span style=font size12px line height18px>The officers who responded to the scene are Brent Behrens a 3 year veteran of LPD Officer Kenneth Jones a 55 year veteran of LPD and Officer Doris Diaz a 19 year veteran of LPD<span><div>
