According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, A man has been arrested in Lakeland, Florida, following a stabbing incident on Saturday February 21, 2026.
Deputies responded to Polk County Fire Rescue Station 24 after a 911 call reporting a male found injured on the side of the road. Fire rescue personnel reported the victim had been dropped off with stab wounds by someone who fled in a black pickup truck. The victim was transported to Lakeland Regional Health in critical but stable condition and could not provide details.
Investigative resources linked the caller to Kyle Stinson, whose last known address at J and J Manor Rd—about 1-2 miles from the station. Deputies located Stinson’s black GMC pickup truck parked in the backyard. A small laceration was observed on Stinson’s right earlobe; he claimed he did not know how it happened. Suspected blood drops were seen on the pavement leading to the driveway.
Stinson stated he found the victim on the road, picked him up, and dropped him at the fire station but was hesitant and unclear on details. He was detained due to being the last person with the victim. A protective sweep of the residence found no other victims but revealed pants with suspected blood in the west bedroom (Stinson’s room) and apparent blood on the truck exterior. The property was secured as a crime scene.
In a post-Miranda interview, Stinson admitted changing pants after the drop-off and that blood would be in the truck’s passenger seat. He hesitated when asked about knowing the victim, saying he may have seen him before. Investigation showed Stinson and the victim were codefendants in a prior case.
According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office , jail phone records captured a call from Stinson to his incarcerated girlfriend shortly before the 911 call, where he said his “codefendant” (the victim) had arrived at the door. A struggle ensued.
The victim sustained five stab wounds to the right side and chest, including one penetrating the rib cage into the chest cavity, causing internal bleeding.
A search warrant uncovered a switchblade knife with blood on the blade (human blood confirmed) hidden in a bag in Stinson’s bedroom closet. He was determined to have tampered with evidence. Syringes and baggies with crystalline substance presumptively tested positive for methamphetamine.
Probable cause exists to charge Kyle Stinson with:
- Attempted First Degree Murder
- Possession of Methamphetamine
- Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
- Maintaining a Residence for Drug Use
- Tampering with Physical Evidence
Stinson was arrested and transported to the Polk County Sheriff’s Processing Center. Nothing further at this time.
SOURCE: POLK COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE
