TAVARES, Fla. — Just days after losing one of their own, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office welcomed 18 new deputies to the force. 15 graduated from a law enforcement academy, and 3 more are joining from Lake County Corrections.

What You Need To Know

  • Just days after losing one of their own, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office welcomed 18 new deputies to the force

  • The sheriff says this day was about the new deputies and their futures

  • The sheriff's office says one of the injured deputies, Harold Howell, was released from the hospital while the other, Stefano Gargano, is still progressing after a fourth surgery

  • The Florida Deputy Sheriff’s Association are continuing to sell t-shirts saying “Lake County Strong” and will donate the proceeds to the families of the deputies involved in the shooting

Master Deputy Bradley Link was killed in an ambush shooting last Friday night while deputies were responding to a disturbance in Eustis. Two other deputies, Harold Howell and Stefano Gargano, were injured.

Howell was released from the hospital on Wednesday while Gargano had a fourth surgery on Wednesday and is described as progressing well.

“We are hurting as an agency right now,” said Sheriff Peyton Grinnell. “This is probably one of the most exciting days of their lives, even though we’re going through one of the worst days of our lives as an agency.”

But the sheriff says this day was about the new deputies and their futures. One of those deputies sworn in, Cole Savage, says he’s looking forward to joining a new family.

“Just the comradery between each other,” said Savage.

He’s bravely beginning a profession – knowing the risks.

“Yeah, there’s a lot on your shoulders when you go out onto the road, and it’s protecting yourself but also protecting the community,” said Savage.

His family – proud and supportive – despite knowing what can happen in this line of work.

“And people are like, oh my, why would you want your child to go into that profession,” said Cole’s mother Sarah Savage. “And I just say, it’s a calling, and I’m proud, and I pray protection over him in this career, and I know the lord has him, and we will honor him in whatever that looks like for Cole.”

The weight of what they’ll be asked to do was not lost on their sheriff.

“Before this ceremony got started, I was sitting in my vehicle outside watching the wives and kids hug then and kiss them, and they were excited for their parents that were coming into this profession, and it made me pause a little bit to know that Britney’s not going to be able to do that anymore,” said Sheriff Grinnell, referring to the wife of Master Deputy Bradley Link.

Services are set for Saturday for Link.

The Florida Deputy Sheriff’s Association are continuing to sell t-shirts saying “Lake County Strong” and will donate the proceeds to the families of the deputies involved in the shooting. They also gave those t-shirts to each of the new deputies sworn in. 

Anyone wanting to support those families can order a t-shirt as well.