“I’m still trying to let that one soak in,” said Sgt. Gary B. Gross, the Lakeland Police Department’s public information officer.
Samuel Alicea, 35, of Lakeland, entered the building at 7:44 a.m. and went to the public restroom located in the police department’s lobby. One of the officers at the front desk heard a loud “thump” sound coming from the restroom, police said. The officers, concerned for Alicea’s safety, knocked on the door several times and yelled out for a reply, but there was no response.
Officers used a key to gain entry and discovered Alicea lying on the ground unconscious and unresponsive. The officer said he observed several personal items of Alicea on the sink, which included measuring spoons, small plastic baggies commonly used to store drugs and a syringe. Alicea was bleeding from the arm and it appeared he had just injected himself, police said.
Alicea was transported to Lakeland Regional Health.
Wow! Really?!