Source Orlando Sentinel
Orlando police shot and killed an attempted-murder suspect Wednesday evening after a traffic stop near downtown, Chief Eric Smith said at an evening news conference outside police headquarters.
Smith did not identify the mortally wounded motorist but said the man had fired first.
No officers were injured in the incident, which occurred about 6 p.m. near South Orange Avenue and South Lucerne Circle.
Officers stopped the vehicle after checking the license plate and finding it registered to an owner who was wanted on charges of attempted murder and aggravated stalking. Smith said the warrant was issued last week by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, but he had no other details.
“As officers exited their vehicle, the suspect produced a handgun and fired a round,” Smith said. “One officer returned fire.”
He said he believed the officer, who he did not identify, fired multiple times.
Asked how many times the motorist fired, he said: “We believe one, but it could have been more.”
“Like I always say, our officers do a very dangerous job. They put their lives on the line for this community every day,” he said. “You never know who you’re stopping in a car.”
In this case, police were aware of the warrant and several units responded quickly to provide support if needed.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement will conduct an independent investigation of the shooting, Smith said.
After the FDLE probe, the Police Department’s internal affairs unit will look into the incident.
The officer who fired the fatal shot was placed on administrative leave, a routine procedure after an officer-involved shooting.
Smith urged the public to keep “our officers and the deceased person’s family in your thoughts and prayers.”
Police diverted traffic around the intersection for more than an hour after the shooting.
______________
©2024 Orlando Sentinel.
Visit orlandosentinel.com.
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
