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REPORT: Police Say Florida Deputy Died From Ambush-Style Killing After Woman And Family Obsesses Over ‘Lucifer’

Woman charged in ambush

wikimedia commons/public/Noah Wulf, CC BY-SA 4.0

Dana Abizaid Contributor
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Police arrested a 48-year-old Florida woman on charges connected to an alleged ambush-style killing of a Lake County deputy, FOX35 reported Monday.

Officials said in a press conference that Julie Ann Sulpizio was charged with first-degree premeditated murder of deputy Bradley Michael Link, 28, during a shootout at her home that also injured two other deputies, according to FOX35.

Deputies started to investigate a domestic disturbance 9-1-1 call Friday evening near Sulpizio’s home. Authorities received another call claiming Sulpizio was acting aggressively toward neighbors, Sheriff Peyton Grinnell said in the press conference.

“The complainant stated she [Sulpizio] was acting religious, accusing them of being sinners, and she knows ‘what they did,'” the sheriff said. (RELATED: Officials Arrest Three Suspects In Connection To Deadly Ambush Of Rapper)

Deputies confronted Sulpizio, who told them that it was necessary to trick “Lucy,” Grinnell said, adding that they “later learned [Lucy] to be a name she calls Lucifer.”

Finding Sulpizio’s behavior suspicious, deputies decided to conduct a welfare check, Grinnell said.

When they got to her home, deputies found two dead dogs outside and an open window with a broken screen, according to the sheriff. They then called for backup.

Link and another officer, Harold Howell, entered the home where they were allegedly ambushed by Sulpizio’s husband, who met them with “a hail of bullets,” the sheriff said.

Link became trapped in the house and was shot several times before a SWAT team arrived and was able to pull the second deputy out of the house to safety, according to Grinnell.

Police said Sulpizio’s husband was inside the home with his two daughters, one of which allegedly shouted, “My King will kill all of you! You are Lucifer’s children!” FOX35 reported.

Footage from Link’s bodycam revealed that Sulpizio’s husband and daughters planned suicide before deputies found them dead from gunshot wounds to the head, according to FOX35.

Grinnell said Sulpizio, who is being held without bond, was arrested Monday afternoon at Advent Health Waterman Hospital where she was taken for treatment and evaluation.