Orlando police officer fatally shot man during a traffic stop
ORLANDO - A police officer shot and killed a man early Monday in downtown Orlando.
Orlando police said officers were proactively patrolling the area, which they said has been a hotspot for criminal activity, adding that numerous guns have been seized there over the last several months.
"Downtown's always been very challenging just because of the large amount of people and this is the part we've been very proactive in our enforcement and patrol," Orlando police Chief Eric Smith said during a news conference. "This is an area where we seize a lot of firearms in and I think we're doing the best we can. I think there's always more you can do, but we have a lot of officers down there working very hard to keep everyone safe."
According to police, the man disobeyed commands given by the officer and made a movement as if to retrieve a gun. The officer opened fire, striking the man, who was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.
"The officers were doing a drug investigation, and basically the person- the suspect - made a quick movement to, as to retrieve a firearm, and the shooting happened," said Smith. "I know drugs were seen and that's why officers stopped and checked out the person."
No firearm was found, he said.
Smith said he has reviewed the video from the officer's body cam.
The officer was placed on paid administrative leave while the Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigates.
