He went out and spoke with the protesters and released a statement condemning the actions that led to Floyd’s death. Graham was lauded during recent peaceful protests in Ocala following the death of George Floyd while he was in police custody in Minnesota.

He returned in late 2011 to serve as chief after Sam Williams resigned.

He came up through the ranks of the department and left in 2008 to become chief of the Cedar Rapids Police Department in Iowa. Graham had served as Ocala’s police chief since 2012. Please pray and send comforting thoughts to the entire Graham family,” he wrote. Ocala City Councilmember Matthew Wardell also released a brief statement on his Facebook page. “Right now, the focus is to assist his family and his family in blue who are impacted by his sudden and tragic loss.” Ocala Police Chief Greg Graham speaks with protesters in Ocala in June in this photo that was posted on City Councilmember Matthew Wardell’s Facebook page. “The family of Chief Greg Graham, Ocala Police Department, Marion County Sheriff’s Office and all who knew Chief Graham experienced a tragedy today,” Woods said. Sheriff Billy Woods released a statement late Sunday afternoon pledging support to Graham’s family and the Ocala Police Department. From left, Ocala City Council President Pro-Tem Justin Grabelle, Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods, Ocala Councilman Matthew Wardell and Ocala Police Chief Greg Graham shared a laugh in December 2019 before the groundbreaking ceremony for the new MLK First Responder Campus. The Federal Aviation Administration also is responding to investigate the crash. Major Crimes detectives from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office are investigating Graham’s death. After learning of Graham’s death, a shaken Mayor Kent Guinn, who oversees the police department, appointed Deputy Chief Mike Balken as the interim chief.

Graham ambushed at airport