Winter Haven Woman With Shovel Shot, Killed By Sheriff's Deputy

WINTER HAVEN, FLA — A 24-year-old Winter Haven woman who police said had an extensive criminal background was shot and killed by a Polk County Sheriff’s deputy after she threatened the officer with a shovel on Thursday, police said.

Jessiram Hweih Rivera died after she was shot by Polk County Patrol Sgt. Sean Speakman after police said Rivera moved toward the deputy with the shovel during encounter at 3:45 p.m. Thursday in Wahneta. Deputies were called to the area after receiving reports of a suspicious woman who was walking in and out of traffic on Rifle Range Road near Noles Lane, police said in a news release.

Police said that Speakman saw Rivera south of Redemption Baptist Church on the west side of Rifle Range Road and attempted to speak with her. Police said Rivera was in an "obvious state of agitation" and she was holding a shovel. As Speakman was talking with Rivera on a private dirt driveway, she raised the shovel, pointed it towards the deputy and began moving toward him, police said.

Speakman told Rivera to stop and to put the shovel down multiple times and began backing away. Rivera did not put the shovel down, and continued to move towards the Sergeant, threatening him with the shovel. Police said fired four shots, hitting Rivera, police said in the release.

Speakman radioed that shots had been fired and began life-saving measures, including CPR, and continued until Polk County Fire Rescue arrived, the release said. Polk County Fire/EMS took over life-saving efforts. Rivera was transported to a local hospital, where she was declared dead, police said.

Rivera had previous convictions for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, battery on a law enforcement officer, possession of cocaine and methamphetamine and other charges that spanned between 2013 and 2019, police said in the news release.

Speakman, 46, was hired by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office in 1998 and entered the training academy and became a deputy Sheriff in 2005. He was promoted to Sergeant in 2018. He is a patrol sergeant working in the Southeast District.

Standard protocol for all deputy-involved shootings include four independent investigations. The sheriff’s office’s Homicide Unit is conducting a death investigation, the department’s Administrative Investigations is conducting an administrative inquiry, the State Attorney's Office responded to the scene and will conduct a separate investigation, and the 10th District Medical Examiner's Office will conduct an investigation to determine the cause and manner of death.

Speakman will be on administrative leave with pay during the initial phase of the investigation.