4 cops shot in Florida

UPDATE 10:17 a.m.

A suspect in the fatal shooting of a police officer in Florida and the grave wounding of a sergeant was arrested in a bar several hours after the attack, authorities said Saturday.

Everett Miller faces a charge of first-degree murder for the killing of Officer Matthew Baxter and could face other charges for the wounding of Sgt. Sam Howard, said Kissimmee Police Chief Jeff O'Dell at a news conference Saturday. Kissimmee is located south of the theme park hub of Orlando, Florida.

During a patrol late Friday of a neighbourhood 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 neighbouring 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.

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One police officer was killed and three wounded in nighttime shootings in two Florida cities where the officers were responding to suspected drug activity and reports of a suicide attempt, police said Saturday.

One officer was killed and another gravely injured late Friday in Kissimmee. The other two officers were injured a couple of hours later in Jacksonville, one of them shot in both hands and the other in the stomach. Three of four suspects in the Kissimmee shooting were arrested, and the shooter in Jacksonville was shot and killed when police returned fire.

In Kissimmee, officers Sam Howard and Matthew Baxter were checking suspects in an area of the city for drug activity when they were shot, Kissimmee Police Chief Jeff O'Dell said at a news conference. They did not have an opportunity to return fire.

"They were surprised," O'Dell said. When asked whether they were ambushed, he said, "It's too early to tell, but it's leading that way."

Baxter, a three-year veteran of the department, died later in a hospital and Howard, a 10-year veteran, was in serious condition, O'Dell said. Both had families, he said.

The officers were checking three of the suspects when a fourth opened fire. One of the original three suspects fled and was being sought, and the other three were arrested. Broadcaster WFTV showed aerial footage of police cars with lights flashing swarmed a housing complex as the search continued early Saturday morning.

In Jacksonville, police responded to reports of an attempted suicide at a home where three other people were thought to be in danger, Sheriff's Office Director Mike Bruno said.

A team of officers heard gunshots inside and feared "an active shooter situation" so they approached the house, Bruno said. The suspect then came out firing a high-powered rifle. He was shot and killed, and two of the police officers were wounded in the exchange of fire. The three other people in the house were safe.