SWAT team kills suspect after 2 Orlando police officers shot during traffic stop

ORLANDO, Fla. – Two Orlando police officers were shot and critically wounded late Friday during a traffic stop connected to a Florida homicide investigation, prompting a massive search for a suspect who was later located and shot to death, according to authorities.

In an update around 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Orlando police Chief Eric Smith said only one of two people initially sought as suspects in the shooting was actually involved. That individual was killed in a shootout with SWAT at a hotel in the Orlando tourist district, according to Smith.

Orlando police said the double shooting happened around 11 p.m. near Washington Street and Garland Avenue. Around 9:20 a.m. Saturday, police tweeted that there was a law enforcement presence along Caravan Court, near I-4 and Kirkman Road, in relation to the officer-involved shooting.

“After an extensive search, officers were able to find the suspect at the Holiday Inn in the 5900 block of Caravan Court. The SWAT team responded to the hotel at 6 a.m. and was able to safely evacuate the hotel. The suspect barricaded himself in a room. Several attempts to get the suspect to surrender were made and (he) refused to give up. At 8:58 (a.m.), the suspect shot at our SWAT officers multiple times. SWAT officers returned fire, striking the suspect. The suspect is now deceased,” Smith said.

The suspect was identified as 28-year-old Daton S. Viel, who Smith noted as having an “extensive criminal history.” Police later confirmed Viel was previously accused of raping a 14-year-old girl in Orlando on Dec. 1, 2022, who he had offered a ride to school.

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A vacationing Texas woman named Shelby who was staying at the hotel described the chaotic evacuation to News 6

“We heard a big explosion. I don’t know if it was maybe a smoke bomb — them trying to get into a room — but there was some form of explosion,” she said. “There’s... helicopters everywhere, police, FBI. It was just insane.”

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The names of the officers, who were taken to Orlando Regional Medical Center, will not be released, according to police, citing Marsy’s Law, which gives crime victims privacy rights.

Dr. Michael Cheatham, Orlando Health chief surgical officer, updated the condition of the injured officers at this latest news conference, sharing they were both expected to make a full recovery after police said earlier Saturday that the officers were “fighting for their lives.”

“We had two officers brought to us about 11 o’clock last night. I can’t go into details, to protect their privacy, other than to tell you that both officers are with us. They’re with their families. We’ve been taking care of them during the night and we expect them to fully recover from their injuries that they sustained in the line of duty,” Cheatham said.

Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer said in a statement around 10 a.m. that he had visited the officers and their families to thank them for their service, saying much the same at the noon-time news conference.

“Our police officers put their lives on the line every single day to keep our community safe, and tragically last night two of our officers were shot during a proactive police stop doing just that.

I visited the officers and their families this morning and thanked them for their service.

I am thankful for doctors and nurses at Orlando Health and all of those who quickly responded and are providing the essential care these officers need during this critical time.

My thoughts and prayers are with those courageous officers, their families, and our entire Orlando Police Department.”

Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer

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According to police, the officers were investigating a vehicle wanted in connection to a homicide in Miami when one person opened fire, striking the officers. The assailant then carjacked a driver, leading to a vehicle pursuit, police said.

Video from 55 West, provided to News 6 by Brian Musa, shows police gathered in downtown as many officers can be seen taking off on I-4.

A witness who works in the area said they heard 10 gunshots. Video from the scene showed a bulletproof vest and an Orlando police bicycle on the ground.

At the latest news conference Saturday, Smith said that the carjacking victim was uninjured, adding their vehicle was located in Apopka.

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There, a large number of law enforcement officers were spotted early Saturday at the Marden Ridge Apartments, more than 15 miles from the shooting scene. The carjacking victim’s vehicle was towed away from the apartment complex, Smith confirmed, though he cited an active investigation to say he could not describe at the time how the suspect got to the Holiday Inn when the carjacked vehicle was found in Apopka.

Officers, some armed with long guns, surrounded nearby Apopka streets and checked vehicles driving through the area.

One driver who was stopped said the situation was confusing.

“We kind of don’t know really what to do,” she said. “We also didn’t know what was going on until we pulled up. We kind of just asked what was happening.”

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At the Marden Meadows apartment complex, across Marden Road from Marden Ridge Apartments, News 6 reporter Catherine Silver later saw Orlando police detectives on scene.

The agencies assisting in the investigation were the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, Orange County Sheriff’s Office, Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, Apopka police, Daytona Beach police and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Former Orlando Police Chief Orlando Rolon told News 6 that there were a lot of “moving parts” to the investigation.

“You have seen (that) a lot of agencies are assisting in the process. They’re following every possible beat that they can get their hands on in order to apprehend these individuals,” Rolon said. “But at the same time, the officers are having to, of course, tend to the needs of those who are injured, their family members.”

News 6 reporter Erik Sandoval said that Garland Avenue was shut down after the shooting.

Sandoval around 7:47 a.m. saw a gray Buick sedan, a red Ford Fusion and a black pickup truck being towed from the scene downtown, reporting within the hour that law enforcement had begun taking down crime scene tape.

Before 9 a.m., a fourth car was seen being towed from the area.

Bullet holes were spotted in buildings and a palm frond near the shooting site.

News 6 reporter Treasure Roberts went to Orlando Regional Medical Center, which was blocked off by police cars.

A tow truck was seen early Saturday taking an Orlando police cruiser from the parking lot. It’s not known, however, if the vehicle was linked to the shooting.

The Orange County Sheriff’s Office released a post early Saturday morning saying that the department is “standing shoulder to shoulder” with Orlando police while hoping for the officers’ recovery.

Other agencies also pledged support to the Orlando Police Department.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

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