PORT ORANGE, Fla. – Three Port Orange police officers were put on leave Friday night after they were involved in a fatal shooting, department officials said.
Police said the officers, identified as Sgt. Warren Carmen, an 11-year veteran of the department, Officer Wayne Jean, a six-year veteran, and Officer Jacob Bissonnette, a one-year veteran, were approached by Robert Powell, 53, of Daytona Beach, who was driving a vehicle near the City Center around 9 p.m.
Officers began talking to Powell when he quickly drove off and hit an officer with the side of the vehicle, police said.
The officers chased Powell until they ended up in a back parking lot at the Coral Bay Villas on Clyde Morris Boulevard, where he got out of the car and fired multiple shots toward them, police said.
Police said the officers then returned fire, killing Powell.
A person who lives in the neighborhood said he heard about 15 gunshots.
Port Orange Police Chief Thomas R. Grimaldi said it's always tough when a situation ends this way.
"You get the phone and you hear there's an officer-involved shooting, the chills go right up the spine," Grimaldi said. "You think, 'OK, what happened? Are the officers OK? Is the suspect OK?' You never like it to end this way. You never like to even get that phone call, but we all know it's part of our profession as well."
Jean, who was struck by the vehicle, was treated for his injuries and later released from the hospital.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating the incident. All three officers will remain on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation, police said.