Tenth Judicial District: Officer-Involved Fatal Incident Task Force investigates officer-involved shooting in Lakeland

LAKELAND, FL (August 19, 2023) – The Tenth Judicial District Officer Involved Fatal Incident Task Force is investigating an officer-involved shooting that occurred in the 4200 block of US Highway 98 North at the Village Plaza. The incident began at approximately 12:41 p.m. when Lakeland Police officers responded to calls of a man in a white Lincoln sedan who appeared to be incapacitated behind the wheel of his vehicle. The vehicle was stopped at a stop sign in the 1700 block of Lakehurst Street and the engine was still running. LPD officers attempted to make contact with the suspect, but he woke up and crashed into a nearby citizen's vehicle as he fled. Officers were not pursuing the suspect at the time. LPD officers spotted the suspect a short time later at a gas station in the 3400 block of US Highway 98 North and attempted to stop him again. The suspect fled a second time. The officers did not pursue the suspect.

At 1:18 p.m., the suspect's vehicle was found in the Village Plaza parking lot. As officers approached the vehicle, the suspect climbed from the back seat of his vehicle into the front seat. Once behind the wheel, the suspect repeatedly rammed two officers' vehicles in an attempt to flee, with one officer shooting the suspect multiple times. The suspect was able to escape again, and officers pursued him onto US Highway 98 North and then onto Wedgewood Estates Boulevard, where he crashed near Douglas M. Cook Park.

One officer sustained minor injuries and was treated and released by Lakeland Regional Health (LRH).

The suspect was identified as John Alfred Hofman (age 57) of Webster, Florida. He was taken into custody and transported to LRH for processing, but sustained no visible injuries and was transported to Polk County Jail for further processing.

In addition to the charges Hofman faces for this incident, he had outstanding warrants from Sumter County and Volusia County, including escape and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Hofman's criminal history includes over 30 charges and 10 felony convictions.