A Lakeland man was arrested on Tuesday evening after residents reported he was discharging a firearm on a neighborhood street. Polk County Sheriff's Office deputies arrived at the east Lakeland area promptly after calls came in at 6:54 pm, describing a man shooting into the air along Jungle Street before retreating into a home on Lakewood Court.
The individual, later identified as Tadeuzs Jeffrey Chandler, age 36, seemed to be driven by personal grievances tied to his workplace, a motive he conveyed to detectives. The Polk County Sheriff's Office reports indicated that Chandler's frustrations culminated in the public act of discharging a firearm, which fortunately did not result in any injuries or damage to property.
Investigation revealed that Chandler is a convicted felon, legally prohibited from possessing firearms. He reportedly obtained the weapon, a Smith & Wesson M&P 5.7, by stealing it from a relative. His actions prompted multiple charges, including Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon and Grand Theft of a Firearm, along with misdemeanors for his public display and discharge of the gun.
Officials confirmed Chandler was taken into custody without incident and subsequently transported to the Sheriff's Processing Center. "Tadeuzs Jeffrey Chandler was arrested without incident and taken to the Sheriff's Processing Center where he was charged with: Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon (F2), Grand Theft of a Firearm (F3), Discharging a Firearm in Public (M1), Improper Exhibition of a Firearm (M1), and Disorderly Conduct (M2). " according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office statement. Representatives of the Polk County Sheriff's Office have not released further details about Chandler's employment concerns, which appear to be central to why he chose to quickly escalate to violence.
