Disturbing moment police shoot and injure man armed with a rifle six times after he ‘tried to carjack Popeyes employee in Daytona Beach parking lot’
- Suspect armed with rifle allegedly tried to carjack fast food worker outside Popeyes eatery in Daytona Beach, Florida, on Monday
- Woman was able to fight off attacker and called 911 for help
- Body camera video shows responding officer yelled at suspect several times to put down the rifle
- According to police, the man pointed the gun at the cop, prompting him to open fire on him
- In all, the officer and sergeant who arrived on the scene shot the suspect six times; he is expected to survive
Police officers in Florida shot and injured an armed suspect who pointed a rifle at them after allegedly trying to carjack a Popeyes worker who was waiting for the fast food eatery in Daytona Beach to open on Monday.
The victim was waiting outside the Popeyes restaurant at 120 South Ridgewood Avenue at around 8am when the man approached her with his rifle and attempted to steal her car, Daytona Beach police Chief Chief Craig Capri told WKMG.
The woman was able to fight the attacker off and get away from him. She then drove to a nearby convenience store and called 911, Capri said.
The Daytona Beach Police Department has released body camera video showing an officer-involved shooting that took place on Monday morning
An officer opened fire on a carjacking suspect after the man allegedly refused to drop the weapon and pointed it at the cop
Together with a sergeant, the officer shot the armed suspect six times (man pictured laying on the ground after being wounded)
The armed would-be carjacker then walked toward a nearby Walgreens and WaWa gas station brandishing the rifle, the chief said.
Video released by the Daytona Beach Police Department showed arriving officers repeatedly telling the suspect to drop the gun.
Instead, the man pointed the rifle at the responding officers, who opened fire, striking him.
The body camera footage showed the first officer on the scene yelling, ‘Put it down, put the rifle down!’ at the suspect at least a half-dozen times before firing the first round.
A sergeant arrived on scene as the first shots were fired by the officer. He drew his service handgun and fired at the suspect until he fell to the ground.
Prior to the shooting, the suspect allegedly tried to steal a car from a Popeyes employee at a nearby parking lot, but the woman was able to fight him off
The man was handcuffed and then taken to a hospital to be treated for his gunshot wounds
In total, six shots were fired by the officer and the sergeant.
‘When you point a gun at officers, expect to get shot,’ Capri said.
Paramedics took the suspect to Halifax Health Medical Center for treatment after officers placed him in handcuffs. He underwent surgery and is expected to recover from his injuries.
The officers and the female Popeyes worker were not injured.
‘I’m very proud of my officers, the way they acted today. They were very professional. They did their jobs,’ Capri told reporters. ‘It’s unfortunate that someone had to be shot in this incident, but we didn’t start this. The suspect escalated this incident. We tried to deescalate.’
Additional details, including the man’s name and the names of the officers who were involved in the shooting, were not immediately available.
The officers were placed on administrative leave pending an investigation into the shooting, which is standard procedure, Capri told news outlets.