Woman shot, killed while allegedly trying to enter Leesburg home early Tuesday
LEESBURG, Fla. — A woman was shot and killed early Tuesday while allegedly attempting to enter a Leesburg home, according to the Leesburg Police Department. Leesburg police responded to a home in the 1600 block of Crest Avenue around 4:45 a.m. Tuesday after receiving a report of a woman attempting to enter the residence. According to police, the homeowner said he repeatedly told the woman to leave the property and warned her he was armed. He told investigators the woman continued trying to enter the home, prompting him to fire a handgun through the door and break a window. Police
911 calls reveal events leading up to fatal Lake County deputy-involved shooting
LEESBURG, Fla. — Three newly released 911 calls provided additional details about what was reported before and immediately after Lake County sheriff’s deputies fatally shot 32-year-old Erik Leopold Sharpe at a Leesburg-area home Aug. 20. The calls, obtained by Inside Lake, included two from the same caller at the home and a separate call from an air conditioning technician who was working there when the incident began. Information identifying the callers was redacted from the recordings. During the approximately 11-minute first call, a caller reported a domestic disturbance involving Sharpe and firearms at 10110 Morningside Drive. “We’re having a
Bodycam footage released in fatal Lake County deputy-involved shooting near Leesburg
WARNING: The body camera videos below show a fatal deputy-involved shooting and may be disturbing to some viewers. Viewer discretion is advised. LEESBURG, Fla. — Newly released body camera footage shows the moments leading up to a fatal deputy-involved shooting near Leesburg that left a 32-year-old man dead Thursday afternoon. Erik Leopold Sharpe was killed after Lake County sheriff’s deputies responded to 10110 Morningside Drive just before 3 p.m. following a 911 call reporting an armed domestic battery. Body camera footage obtained by Inside Lake shows deputies approaching the residence with their weapons drawn and encountering Sharpe near the home,
Winn-Dixie making a comeback in Eustis with new store
EUSTIS, Fla. — A grocery store favorite is returning to Eustis. The Winn-Dixie Company confirmed to Inside Lake Friday morning it is returning to the city it called home for decades, but an opening date has not been released. “The Winn-Dixie Company is excited to confirm plans to open a new grocery store in Eustis, marking another significant step in the grocer’s continued investment and growth across Florida,” the company’s Media Relations team said in an email to Inside Lake. According to a lease obtained by Inside Lake, the store, along with a liquor store, will be located in the
Man killed in deputy-involved shooting near Leesburg identified
LEESBURG, Fla. — A man who was killed in a deputy-involved shooting near Leesburg Thursday afternoon has been identified as 32-year-old Erik Leopold Sharpe, according to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. Just before 3 p.m., deputies responded to 10110 Morningside Drive after receiving a 911 call reporting an armed domestic battery. When they arrived, they were confronted by Sharpe, who was armed with a firearm, LCSO Sgt. Jim Vachon said. According to Vachon, Sharpe’s actions forced deputies to discharge their firearms. Sharpe was killed, and the deputies were not injured. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating the shooting,
Armed person confronts Lake County deputies during domestic call near Leesburg
LEESBURG, Fla. — Lake County Sheriff’s Office deputies responding to an armed domestic battery call near Leesburg discharged their firearms after being confronted by an armed person Thursday afternoon, according to LCSO. Just before 3 p.m., deputies responded to 10110 Morningside Drive after receiving a 911 call reporting an armed domestic battery. “Once our deputies arrived, they were confronted with an individual armed with a firearm whose actions forced our deputies to discharge their firearms,” LCSO Sgt. Jim Vachon said. The deputies were not injured. The armed person is deceased, Vachon said. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement will investigate
News Briefs
Mount Dora High to recognize partners behind $6 million stadium renovation
MOUNT DORA, Fla. — Community partners who helped make a $6 million renovation of Mount Dora High School’s football stadium possible will be recognized Friday during the Hurricanes’ game against rival Eustis High School. The newly renovated W.T. Bland Jr. Stadium at Mount Dora Community Trust Field, 700 N. Highland St., was officially unveiled during a ribbon-cutting last week attended by school district leaders and community partners. “This renovation was a massive undertaking, and honestly, it wouldn’t have happened without the hard work of so many people,” Mount Dora High School Principal Kyle Bracewell said. Those who contributed to the
FWC invites anglers to reel in recognition with Big Catch program
LAKE COUNTY, Fla. — The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is encouraging anglers to put their freshwater catches to the test through its Big Catch recognition program. The family-friendly program recognizes anglers who catch qualifying fish from more than 30 freshwater species found throughout Florida. Fish must meet or exceed qualifying length or weight requirements. To participate, anglers must catch a qualifying fish using an active hook-and-line method, take a photo and submit the catch through the Big Catch program. Participants receive recognition and a printable certificate. Youth anglers under 16 have separate, easier qualifying sizes, allowing younger fishermen
Lake County Fire Rescue to celebrate opening of new Station 71
LEESBURG, Fla. — Lake County Fire Rescue will celebrate the opening of its new Fire Station 71 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house Sept. 2. The event is scheduled from 9 to 11 a.m. at the new station, 33661 County Road 473 in Leesburg. Members of the public are invited to tour the station, meet Lake County Fire Rescue firefighters and first responders, and view fire apparatus and emergency equipment. “Events like this allow our community to see firsthand the people, equipment, and facilities that stand ready to serve them when they need us most,” Lake County Public Safety
2 Lake County intersections transitioning to all-way stops
LAKE COUNTY, Fla. — Two Lake County intersections will permanently transition to all-way stops beginning Thursday, Aug. 20, as part of recommended safety improvements. The intersections are Radio Road and Treadway School Road in Leesburg and East Crooked Lake Drive and Country Club Road in Eustis. Message boards are already in place to alert motorists of the upcoming changes. Drivers are encouraged to use caution and be prepared for the new traffic patterns beginning Thursday.
Dinosaurs return to Mount Dora library through August
MOUNT DORA, Fla. — Dinosaurs are on display at the W.T. Bland Public Library through Aug. 31 as part of a free prehistoric exhibit for visitors of all ages. The exhibit includes a 20-foot-long Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton, a juvenile T. rex, an in-flight pterosaur, a fossil dig panel and a giant dinosaur egg photo opportunity. Dinosaur-themed bookmarks and educational materials are also available. The library will host “All About T. rex” at 2 p.m. Aug. 29, featuring paleontologist Jimmy Waldron of Dinosaurs Will Always Be Awesome. The program is designed for adults and children ages 8 and older and will
Orlando Health South Lake Hospital to add Lake County’s first NICU
CLERMONT, Fla. — Orlando Health South Lake Hospital will begin construction in August on Lake County’s first neonatal intensive care unit, bringing specialized newborn care closer to home for local families. The 7,200-square-foot, 10-bed Level 2 NICU will be located inside the hospital’s Center for Women and Babies and is expected to open in 2027. The unit will care for premature infants, babies with low birth weights and newborns with other medical conditions requiring specialized treatment. It will operate in partnership with Orlando Health Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women and Babies, allowing patients access to advanced neonatal services when needed.
Around The County
Woman shot, killed while allegedly trying to enter Leesburg home early Tuesday
LEESBURG, Fla. — A woman was shot and killed early Tuesday while allegedly attempting to enter a Leesburg home, according to the Leesburg Police Department. Leesburg police responded to a home in the 1600 block of Crest Avenue around 4:45 a.m. Tuesday after receiving a report of a woman attempting to enter the residence. According to police, the homeowner said he repeatedly told the woman to leave the property and warned her he was armed. He told investigators the woman continued trying to enter the home, prompting him to fire a handgun through the door and break a window. Police
911 calls reveal events leading up to fatal Lake County deputy-involved shooting
LEESBURG, Fla. — Three newly released 911 calls provided additional details about what was reported before and immediately after Lake County sheriff’s deputies fatally shot 32-year-old Erik Leopold Sharpe at a Leesburg-area home Aug. 20. The calls, obtained by Inside Lake, included two from the same caller at the home and a separate call from an air conditioning technician who was working there when the incident began. Information identifying the callers was redacted from the recordings. During the approximately 11-minute first call, a caller reported a domestic disturbance involving Sharpe and firearms at 10110 Morningside Drive. “We’re having a
Bodycam footage released in fatal Lake County deputy-involved shooting near Leesburg
WARNING: The body camera videos below show a fatal deputy-involved shooting and may be disturbing to some viewers. Viewer discretion is advised. LEESBURG, Fla. — Newly released body camera footage shows the moments leading up to a fatal deputy-involved shooting near Leesburg that left a 32-year-old man dead Thursday afternoon. Erik Leopold Sharpe was killed after Lake County sheriff’s deputies responded to 10110 Morningside Drive just before 3 p.m. following a 911 call reporting an armed domestic battery. Body camera footage obtained by Inside Lake shows deputies approaching the residence with their weapons drawn and encountering Sharpe near the home,
Woman shot, killed while allegedly trying to enter Leesburg home early Tuesday
LEESBURG, Fla. — A woman was shot and killed early Tuesday while allegedly attempting to enter a Leesburg home, according to the Leesburg Police Department. Leesburg police responded to a home in the 1600 block of Crest Avenue around 4:45 a.m. Tuesday after receiving a report of a woman attempting to enter the residence. According to police, the homeowner said he repeatedly told the woman to leave the property and warned her he was armed. He told investigators the woman continued trying to enter the home, prompting him to fire a handgun through the door and break a window. Police
911 calls reveal events leading up to fatal Lake County deputy-involved shooting
LEESBURG, Fla. — Three newly released 911 calls provided additional details about what was reported before and immediately after Lake County sheriff’s deputies fatally shot 32-year-old Erik Leopold Sharpe at a Leesburg-area home Aug. 20. The calls, obtained by Inside Lake, included two from the same caller at the home and a separate call from an air conditioning technician who was working there when the incident began. Information identifying the callers was redacted from the recordings. During the approximately 11-minute first call, a caller reported a domestic disturbance involving Sharpe and firearms at 10110 Morningside Drive. “We’re having a
Bodycam footage released in fatal Lake County deputy-involved shooting near Leesburg
WARNING: The body camera videos below show a fatal deputy-involved shooting and may be disturbing to some viewers. Viewer discretion is advised. LEESBURG, Fla. — Newly released body camera footage shows the moments leading up to a fatal deputy-involved shooting near Leesburg that left a 32-year-old man dead Thursday afternoon. Erik Leopold Sharpe was killed after Lake County sheriff’s deputies responded to 10110 Morningside Drive just before 3 p.m. following a 911 call reporting an armed domestic battery. Body camera footage obtained by Inside Lake shows deputies approaching the residence with their weapons drawn and encountering Sharpe near the home,
Winn-Dixie making a comeback in Eustis with new store
EUSTIS, Fla. — A grocery store favorite is returning to Eustis. The Winn-Dixie Company confirmed to Inside Lake Friday morning it is returning to the city it called home for decades, but an opening date has not been released. “The Winn-Dixie Company is excited to confirm plans to open a new grocery store in Eustis, marking another significant step in the grocer’s continued investment and growth across Florida,” the company’s Media Relations team said in an email to Inside Lake. According to a lease obtained by Inside Lake, the store, along with a liquor store, will be located in the
Man killed in deputy-involved shooting near Leesburg identified
LEESBURG, Fla. — A man who was killed in a deputy-involved shooting near Leesburg Thursday afternoon has been identified as 32-year-old Erik Leopold Sharpe, according to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. Just before 3 p.m., deputies responded to 10110 Morningside Drive after receiving a 911 call reporting an armed domestic battery. When they arrived, they were confronted by Sharpe, who was armed with a firearm, LCSO Sgt. Jim Vachon said. According to Vachon, Sharpe’s actions forced deputies to discharge their firearms. Sharpe was killed, and the deputies were not injured. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating the shooting,
Armed person confronts Lake County deputies during domestic call near Leesburg
LEESBURG, Fla. — Lake County Sheriff’s Office deputies responding to an armed domestic battery call near Leesburg discharged their firearms after being confronted by an armed person Thursday afternoon, according to LCSO. Just before 3 p.m., deputies responded to 10110 Morningside Drive after receiving a 911 call reporting an armed domestic battery. “Once our deputies arrived, they were confronted with an individual armed with a firearm whose actions forced our deputies to discharge their firearms,” LCSO Sgt. Jim Vachon said. The deputies were not injured. The armed person is deceased, Vachon said. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement will investigate