Manatee County Sheriff Rick Wells has publicly supported a Bradenton, Florida, homeowner who fatally shot an alleged intruder during a break-in on Thursday night, emphasizing Florida’s strong stance on self-defense. Wells stated, “This is the state of Florida. If you want to break into someone’s home, you should expect to be shot.”
The incident occurred around 9:00 p.m. when the homeowner reportedly acted swiftly upon realizing a potential threat. Wells noted that the homeowner armed himself and ensured his wife reached a safe location before confronting the intruders.
The deceased suspect, identified as 23-year-old Jorge Nestevan Flores-Toledo from Mexico, succumbed to his injuries Friday morning. A second suspect, Michel Soto-Mella, an illegal immigrant from Chile, fled the scene but has since been charged with armed burglary.
Sheriff Wells reiterated the state’s support for the rights of homeowners to defend themselves, adding weight to Florida’s reputation for robust self-defense laws.
Earlier this year, The Polk County Sheriff’s Office in Florida has taken significant action against human trafficking, arresting nearly 160 suspects, including 25 illegal aliens from Cuba, Colombia, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and Venezuela. Some of these cases, disturbingly, involve children.
The undercover operation, named Operation Autumn Sweep, was launched earlier this month and led to the arrest of 157 individuals. These arrests were for soliciting prostitution, offering to engage in prostitution, or aiding and abetting those involved in prostitution. Alarmingly, three suspects were arrested for allegedly attempting to travel in order to sexually assault minors.
Among those arrested, 25 are illegal aliens, reflecting a serious concern about the lack of control at our borders. Additionally, 26 of the suspects are married, nine are receiving government assistance funded by taxpayers, and 131 are from outside of Polk County, Florida. Three suspects were either active-duty military personnel or veterans, and three were employees of Disney World.
