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In the early hours of Sunday, a tragic event unfolded in St. Cloud, Florida, leading to the death of a man following a confrontation with police. According to St. Cloud’s police chief, Douglas Goerke, the incident occurred at Starling Chevrolet, located on E Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway.
Police were alerted to the scene around 2:44 a.m. due to an alarm activation. Upon arrival, officers discovered a man, later identified as being in his 20s and from the Orlando area, seated in the passenger side of a vehicle on the dealership’s lot. It was later confirmed by the police department that the man had unlawfully entered the vehicle.
As the situation escalated, the man fled towards a nearby Wawa store when officers instructed him to show his hands. During the pursuit, the officers temporarily lost sight of him. He was eventually found hiding in the bushes, where he reportedly brandished a firearm.
Chief Goerke detailed the sequence of events during a Sunday news conference, stating, “Officers gave the suspect numerous commands to show his hands and cooperate, but the suspect did not comply. During the encounter, the suspect produced a firearm, and an officer-involved shooting occurred.” In the aftermath, officers administered life-saving measures, applying a tourniquet and performing CPR. Despite their efforts, the man was pronounced dead after being transported to St. Cloud Hospital by the St. Cloud Fire Department.
For those seeking further information, a recorded news conference featuring Chief Goerke discussing the incident can be accessed for viewing.
The man’s identity had not been released by the time of this report.
The two officers involved in the shooting were not said to be injured and are reportedly on paid administrative leave as the Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigates. St. Cloud police are also coordinating with the State Attorney’s Office on the case, a release states.
Chief Goerke said that the gun recovered from the scene appears to have stovepiped, wherein a spent cartridge fails to eject and gets stuck.
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