Florida police officer arrested after armed stand off with SWAT team
MELBOURNE - A Florida police officer is in jail after an hours long armed standoff with a sheriff's office SWAT team, during which he reportedly fired shots inside his home.
The episode began with a domestic dispute Wednesday night between Cocoa Police Officer Patrick Kelly and a woman who is also an officer at the same agency, a statement from the police department said.
Deputies from the Brevard County Sheriff's Office were called to Kelly's house in Viera, the statement said, and the SWAT team was called when Kelly refused to come out.
"Officer Kelly was armed and was actively shooting inside of the home," according to police. "After several hours, Officer Kelly surrendered without further incident. There were no injuries."
Kelly is now facing charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon involving domestic violence and discharging a firearm. He remained in jail on no bond Thursday evening, and online court records show he has entered a plea of not guilty.
Kelly was arrested in 2017 for felony domestic violence battery, but he was allowed to stay on the police force after charges were dropped, the statement said.
Kelly, who has been with the department for 15 years, has been suspended without pay pending termination.