Three Boynton Beach police officers shot at and injured a 25-year-old man Friday night after the man dragged one of the officers with his car while fleeing, according to a report released Monday.
The officers -- Christopher Munro, Daniel Griswold and Cory Gray -- are on paid administrative leave while the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office investigates the shooting, which took place during a DUI saturation patrol in Royal Palm Beach. The move is common procedure for most police departments following an officer-involved shooting.
Munro has been with the city's police department since November 2006, Griswold since November 1989 and Gray since April 2005, said Stephanie Slater, Boynton Beach police spokeswoman.
John D. Flanagan of Royal Palm Beach, now faces charges of aggravated battery on a law-enforcement officer and aggravated assault on a law-enforcement officer.
Flanagan, who has been at St. Mary's Medical Center in West Palm Beach since the shooting, is expected to have his first appearance hearing in court Tuesday.
Several law-enforcement officers from agencies across Palm Beach County were conducting a DUI saturation patrol Friday night in the 3500 block of Royal Palm Beach Boulevard, near its intersection with Crestwood Boulevard and H.L. Johnson Elementary School.
Boynton Beach officers were conducting laser traffic-speed enforcement and stopped a silver Acura driven by Flanagan, according to the report.
Flanagan pulled over and spoke with the officers. One officer reported that he smelled marijuana coming from the car.
At some point during the exchange with officers, Flanagan decided to flee with his car door open, the report said. Flanagan put his car in reverse and trapped Munro and one other Boynton Beach officer between the car and its door.
Flanagan's car dragged Munro until Flanagan stopped to change direction, while the other officer managed to free himself. Munro sustained minor injuries.
Munro, Griswold and Gray then fired at Flanagan, the report said.
Flanagan was shot in the leg and sustained a superficial wound to the head, Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said at the scene Friday. The Acura came to a stop in the southbound lanes of Royal Palm Beach Boulevard.
"Flanagan did intentionally and unlawfully threaten by act of violence to both Officer Munro and Gray," a sheriff's detective wrote in the report. "Flanagan had both the ability and demonstrated this violence by reversing his vehicle to strike both officers."
The officer-involved shooting was the 11th in Palm Beach County during 2013, and the first involving Boynton Beach officers. Another one Sunday night in Boca Raton has brought the countywide total to 12 for the year, including five in which a suspect was killed.
Copyright 2013 - The Palm Beach Post, Fla.
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
