made the remark after Broward Sheriff’s Office Deputy Shannon Bennett died in April of complications related to the virus. Engle tried to minimize his department’s concerns about COVID by saying Bennett was a “homosexual who attended homosexual ‘sexual’ events” and had “a serious underlying disease, which aggravated the COVID-19 virus,” according to a letter from the Florida State Lodge, Fraternal Order of Police, Labor Council Committee, sent to Davie Town Administrator Richard J.
Lemack. Davie is in south Florida, within Broward County.Bennett’s fiancé, Jonathan Frey, said the deputy had no underlying health condition, and of course, there is no connection between the virus and sexuality.