Everett Miller, 45, was arrested after he allegedly shot and killed one officer and wounded another on Friday night in Kissimmee, Florida
A former Marine has been arrested after he is accused of shooting dead one police officer and critically injuring another in a sudden attack in Florida.
Everett Miller, 45, was arrested at a local bar after he allegedly got into a scuffle with Officer Matthew Baxter and Sgt. Sam Howard in Kissimmee, Florida on Friday night.
The former serviceman allegedly shot and killed Baxter, 27, and critically wounded Howard, 36, in the attack.
Miller was arrested at a nearby bar later that night and now faces a charge of first-degree murder for killing Baxter and could face other charges for wounding Howard.
Miller was recently involuntarily committed for a mental evaluation by the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office. He also made threats to law enforcement officials on Facebook, police said.
Howard, who remains in critical condition at a hospital, may not survive his injuries.
Police Chief Jeff O’Dell said on Saturday: ‘It’s grave. Not much hope that he will survive this.’
Kissimmee Police Officer Matthew Baxter, 27, (left) died from his injuries and Sgt. Sam Howard, 36, (right) was critically wounded in the attack. Howard, who remains in critical condition at a hospital, may not survive his injuries
Police Chief Jeff O’Dell suggested that the two officers were ambushed and did not return fire. He believes there was only one shooter. Two officers stand guard outside the Osceola Regional Medical Center in Kissimmee
During a patrol late Friday of a neighborhood with a history of drug activity, Baxter was ‘checking out’ three people, including Miller, when the officer got into a scuffle with Miller. Howard, his sergeant, responded as backup, the police chief said.
The officers didn’t have an opportunity to return fire. They weren’t wearing body cameras.
Sheriff’s deputies with a neighboring law enforcement agency later tracked Miller down to a bar and approached him. Miller started reaching toward his waistband when the deputies tackled and subdued him, O’Dell said.
The found a handgun and revolver on him.
‘They were extremely brave and heroic actions taken by the deputies,’ O’Dell said.
The police chief said Miller would be taken to jail wearing the fallen officer’s handcuffs.
Authorities originally said they believed there were four suspects, but the chief said Saturday that no other arrests are anticipated.
As of Saturday morning, Howard was in ‘grave, critical condition’ at the hospital, O’Dell said.
Baxter (center) was shot and killed in the Florida town on an unusually violent night that saw another five police officers get shot in three different US cities
Fellow Kissimmee officer Sam Howard (pictured) was severely injured during the ambush
Another Kissimmee officer was shot, as well as two other officers in nearby Jacksonville
Two state troopers were also shot in Fairchance, Pennsylvania (pictured) on the same night
Baxter had been with the Kissimmee Police Department for three years. He was married to another Kissimmee police officer and they have four children.
Howard has served with the Kissimmee Police Department for 10 years. He and his wife have one child, O’Dell said.
‘They are two wonderful men, family men,’ O’Dell said. ‘They are two committed to doing it the right way.’
Separately, other two officers were injured late Friday in Jacksonville, Florida, after police responded to reports of an attempted suicide at a home where three other people were thought to be in danger. One of the officers was shot in both hands and the other was shot in the stomach.
In Pennsylvania, two state troopers were shot and a suspect killed outside a small-town store south of Pittsburgh on Friday night.
President Donald Trump was quick to comment on the shooting, tweeting that his thoughts and prayers were with ‘Kissimmee Police and their loved ones’.
‘We are with you!’ he added, including the hashtag #LESM.
Florida Governor Rick Scott also tweeted that he was ‘heartbroken’ to hear of the officer’s death.
President Donald Trump was quick to comment on the Kissimmee shooting on Friday night
Florida Governor Rick Scott also tweeted that he was ‘heartbroken’ to hear of Baxter’s death and said he was ‘praying’ for the other Florida cops who had been hospitalized
‘Tonight we lost a brave officer – Matthew Baxter. Husband/father/hero. Praying for @kissimmeepolice,’ he wrote in another tweet.
Of the two officers shot during a separate incident in Jacksonville around 11pm. One is in stable condition and another is in critical condition.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said the officers were dispatched for an attempted suicide call.
When officers approached the scene, gunfire could be heard inside the home. The officers then entered the residence.
According to authorities, the suspect was armed with a high powered rifle. The suspect shot through the home’s front door toward the officers.
Kissimmee Police Department Chief Jeffrey O’Dell (pictured) said Howard, who has been on the force for 10 years, was in ‘grave critical condition’ and his prognosis ‘does not look good’
Three out of four suspects believed to be involved in the shooting are currently in custody, O’Dell said. One remains at large. A law enforcement officer stands guard outside Osceola Regional Medical Center in Kissimmee after the two officers were shot
One officer was injured in both hands, while the other was injured in the stomach.
The officers exchanged gunfire and struck the unidentified suspect, who was later pronounced dead at a local hospital.
Scott also tweeted that he was ‘praying’ for the two Jacksonville officers.
‘Just learned of two @JSOPIO in danger tonight – we stand with ALL law enforcement in Florida,’ he added in a separate tweet.
One officer is reported to be in critical condition, while the other is in stable condition.
In a third shooting, two Pennsylvania State Troopers are stable and expected to survive, according to ABC News.
The officers were shot Friday night in Fairchance, Pennsylvania, about 50 miles south of Pittsburgh.
It was revealed that the suspect is deceased, Pennsylvania State Police spokeswoman Melinda Bondarenka told the site.
Bondarenka said one of the troopers was flown from the scene to Morgantown Hospital and the other transported by ambulance to Uniontown Hospital.
At least one of the officers had injuries that were ‘not life threatening’.