Police chief axed after he ‘claimed cop died of coronavirus because he was gay’

Chief Dale Engle allegedly said Shannon Bennett, 'contracted and died from the virus because he was a "homosexual who attended homosexual events."'

A police chief has been put on paid leave after he allegedly claimed a deputy died of coronavirus because he was gay.

Police Chief Dale Engle, head of the Davie, Florida police force, was put on leave Saturday after he reportedly suggested 39-year-old Broward County Sheriff’s Deputy, Shannon Bennett, ‘contracted and died from the virus because he was a “homosexual who attended homosexual events,”‘ according to a letter sent to town officials by Chief of Staff for Florida’s Fraternal Order of Police Mike Tucker.

The letter, which was initially obtained by The South Florida Sun Sentinel, said multiple officers said they expressed fears over the outbreak only to be ‘belittled’ by Engle last Tuesday – just four days after Bennett died from the virus.

Engle allegedly took the officers to a parking lot during a patrol briefing and began shouting at them over their ‘baseless’ concerns, according to the letter. ;

‘During this, members were shocked when Chief Engle cited the tragic death of (Broward County Sheriff’s Office) Deputy Shannan Bennet who recently succumbed to the Covid-19 virus,’ Tucker wrote.

‘Chief Engle allegedly yelled about a “backstory” which proclaimed that Deputy Bennett contracted and died from the virus because he was a “homosexual who attended homosexual events.”‘

The letter goes on to say that Engle suggested that Bennet’s ‘homosexual lifestyle’ is what caused him to contract the virus.

‘His rant continued for some time with the presumable desired effect of intimidating the members and discouraging any other department employees from complaining or expressing concerns in the future,’ Tucker wrote.

According to the Sun Sentinel, Bennett had asthma and died of Covid-19 on April 3.

He reportedly planned to marry his partner, Jonathan Frey, in December.

Frey told WPLG: ‘The chief’s alleged comments are completely false, homophobic and slanderous. I look forward to the fair and impartial investigation initiated by the town manager, and I hope that appropriate action will be take at its conclusion.’