A Florida police chief has been suspended after he reportedly told his force the their colleague died from coronavirus because he was gay.

Deputy Shannon Bennett, 39, initially came down with a fever and a headache which developed into breathing problems and he passed away a couple of days after going to hospital, his fiancé Jonathan Frey said.

Bennett has no underlying health conditions, but during a team briefing, Davie Police Chief Dale Engle connected the cop’s death to his sexuality.

Florida Fraternal Order of Police chief of staff Mike Tucker, complained to the Davie town manager in a letter Tuesday, saying that Engle ‘allegedly berated them, and yelled about a “…backstory’ which proclaimed that Deputy Shannon Bennett contracted and died from the virus because he was a ‘homosexual who attended homosexual sexual events'”.’

Deputy Shannon Bennett, 39, initially came down with a fever and a headache which developed into breathing problems and he passed away a couple of days after going to hospital

Dale Engle allegedly yelled about a ‘backstory’ which claimed Shannon Bennett contracted and died from the virus because he attended homosexual events

Deputy Shannon Bennett (left) is pictured with his fiancé Jonathan Frey. They were to marry in December

Tucker said that if the claims are true, ‘it’s obviously extremely disturbing.’

‘This obviously was shocking to the members that were present, who are right now looking for reassurance. . . who were looking for guidance,’ Tucker added to Local 10.

Engle was suspended on Saturday.

‘As of April 11, 2020, Police Chief Dale Engle was placed on Administrative leave pending further review of allegations brought forward by the Fraternal Order of Police,’ Davie’s Town Administrator Richard J. Lemack said in a statement Saturday night. ‘The allegations will be investigated in accordance with the Town’s Equal Employment Opportunity compliance policy by outside counsel.

‘The Town will have no further comment until the investigation is completed to protect the integrity of all involved.’

Broward Sheriff’s Office Deputy Bennett was a Deerfield Beech Elementary School resource officer and was a 12-year veteran.

Broward Sheriff’s Office Deputy Bennett was a Deerfield Beech Elementary School resource officer and was a 12-year veteran

Broward County said Bennett died ‘in the line of duty’.

‘For any reference to be made to the tragic passing of one of our brothers at the Broward Sheriff’s Office is, if true, is absolutely not only unacceptable but is just shameful. And it’s not indicative of the professionals of the Town of Davie that we know,’ said Tucker.

Bennett worked closely with the LGBTQ community and is the first law enforcement officer in Florida to have died from the virus.

He got engaged at Disney World a couple of months ago and it was Bennett’s favorite place.

‘Until something like this affects you directly, I don’t really think you think about how much of an impact it’s going to have,’ his fiancé told Local 10.

‘This is not the end of who he is,’ Frey said. ‘I care very much about him. He was the love of my life and I know his legacy is going to live on, one way or another. But he was a beautiful soul.’