Father Killed After Trying to Force His Way into Home

Lakeland, Florida — A man was shot and killed after attempting to force his way into his ex-girlfriend’s house because she refused to turn over their two-year-old son.

According to the Polk County Sheriff, Grady Judd, 39-year-old Brian Ingram arrived at the home of his ex-girlfriend to collect his two-year-old boy. Normally the exchange of custody was done at the child’s day care but the day care had declined to take care of the child because they feared Ingram.

Since Ingram was under court orders not to be within 500 feet of his child’s mother, he brought his mother Patricia with him to make the exchange. Patricia was turned away at the door of the home when she tried to collect the child, prompting Ingram to call 911 to say he was being refused his custody rights.

911 operators told him to wait for enroute deputies to oversee the hand off, but Ingram ignored the warning and ran to the home anyway.

Surveillance footage shows Ingram run up to the front door and begin knocking and ringing the doorbell, then covering the peephole until someone opened the door. Ingram then began to force his way into the home.

The mother’s boyfriend told investigators he ordered Ingram to leave the home multiple times and was hit in the head with the door as the father tried to force his way in, prompting him to shoot. Ingram ran from the home but collapsed in the front yard and died in front of his mother from 5 gunshot wounds.

“Brian Ingram was told by the dispatcher to wait for the deputies to arrive to facilitate the exchange,” said Sheriff Judd “But did Brian wait for the deputies to arrive?  No.”

While the toxicology report has yet to be completed, an open can of beer was found in Ingram’s truck and deputies report that he smelled of alcohol.

Sheriff Judd said the investigation is still ongoing, but no charges have been filed against the boyfriend for the shooting.

“The suspect was trespassing, committing a burglary, committed a battery which is both serious felonies, and he (the boyfriend) had a right to protect himself in his home,” he said.

Ingram had been charged with trespassing on the property before and had been discharged from the military under “other than honorable” conditions.

If you have a peephole and find it is covered up when you go to look through it, do not open the door. There can be nothing good waiting for you on the other side. Ensure that the door is locked and call police.

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