Florida homicide suspect prays with sergeant outdoors church following arrest

A Florida homicide suspect was arrested at church Sunday morning — and sooner than he was hauled off to jail, he shared a prayer with the sergeant who busted him, in protecting with authorities.

The bizarre scenario carried out out in Polk County when sheriff deputies went contained within the church in hopes of discovering 56-year-old John Skeen, authorities acknowledged.

Skeen was observed and agreed to go outdoors with out disrupting the service that moreover occurred to be attended by the deputies’ boss, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd.

But after Skeen left, he wished to return inside, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office acknowledged.

Skeen allegedly requested a sergeant if he would possibly attend the rest of the service so he would possibly “dedicate his life to the Lord before going to jail,” the sheriff’s office acknowledged.

That request was quickly dismissed, nevertheless the sergeant compromised and suggested Skeen the two would possibly pray collectively sooner than he was booked once more at headquarters.

“And that’s just what they did,” the sheriff’s office wrote in a info launch. “Suspect and deputy prayed together outside of the church, and then off he went to jail.”

Sheriff Judd was on the church Sunday on account of he was a customer speaker on the service.

Skeen is accused of fatally taking footage actually one in all his associates all through a verbal altercation Friday, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office acknowledged. The suspect, sufferer and one totally different pal had been on a fishing journey on the time of the deadly gunfire, authorities acknowledged.

He’s going via a second-degree homicide with a firearm value.

 “What should have been a fun fishing trip filled with great memories, turned into a tragic weekend,” Hillsborough Sheriff Chad Chronister acknowledged in a press launch. “Violence is never the solution to a disagreement. Our hearts are with this victim’s family and we hope this arrest will bring some sense of closure to the loved ones.”