Lakeland, FL – On Wednesday, November 19, at approximately 3:07 p.m., the Polk County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call reporting a disturbance on the 400 block of Saturn Street. According to Sheriff Grady Judd, the caller reported that a suspect, later identified as Kentae Govan, was acting erratically and repeatedly striking an elderly man in the head with a brick.
During the attack, a second victim attempted to intervene. Govan then chased her into a shed, where he assaulted her and took her phone. While doing so, Govan reportedly stated, “I’m not going back to prison; they’ll have to kill me.”
Polk County Sheriff’s Deputies Diaz, Soco, and Mathis arrived on scene and repeatedly ordered Govan to drop the brick. Govan refused and began advancing toward the deputies. According to Sheriff Judd, two deputies deployed their tasers, but Govan pulled out the probes and continued charging at them. At that point, Deputies Mathis and Diaz fired a total of six rounds. The deputies immediately rendered medical aid to Govan.
Govan was transported by Polk County Fire Rescue to Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center, where he was pronounced deceased.
Sheriff Judd stated that Govan had previously spent 23 years in the Florida prison system after being convicted of sexually battering a child under the age of 12. Witnesses told detectives the attack was completely unprovoked; Govan and the victims had been sitting on a porch together when, without warning, Govan began acting erratically and suddenly attacked the elderly man.
An autopsy will be conducted as part of the ongoing investigation. It is currently unclear whether Govan and the victims resided at the same address. The elderly male victim, who sustained serious injuries in the attack, was also transported to Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center. No deputies were injured.
The 10th Judicial Circuit Officer-Involved Deadly Incident Task Force is investigating the officer-involved shooting. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office has placed Deputies Mathis and Diaz on routine paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation. Nothing further at this time.
Source: Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd & Public Information Officer
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