Aug. 19 (UPI) — A police officer was killed and five more were wounded in three separate shootings in Florida and Pennsylvania.
Kissimmee Police Chief Jeff O’Dell said Officer Matthew Baxter was killed and Sgt. Sam Howard was in critical condition after they were shot while responding to a call at 9:30 p.m. in the Florida city Friday night, the Orlando Sentinel reported.
“It breaks my heart to have to come speak to you tonight about another senseless tragedy,” O’Dell said.
Baxter was pronounced dead at the scene and Howard was taken to a hospital in critical condition.
Police arrested three people connected to the shooting and are searching for a fourth, CNN reported.
“At this time, we have a strong suspect in custody that we are interviewing,” O’Dell said.
The police chief said it was too early to determine if the shooting was an ambush, but added it was “leading toward that.”
President Donald Trump tweeted condolences following news of the shooting on Friday night.
“My thoughts and prayers are with the Kissimmee Police and their loved ones. We are with you!” Trump wrote.
Two other officers were wounded in a separate shooting in Jacksonville on Friday while responding to an attempted suicide call.
Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Director Mike Bruno said the officers arrived to find a man armed with a high-powered rifle when one officer was struck in both of his hands and the other was hit in his stomach as they exchanged gunfire with the suspect.
The suspect was also wounded in the shooting and died after being taken to a local hospital.
Florida Governor Rick Scott offered prayers for the wounded Jacksonville officers as well as the two involved in the Kissimmee shooting.
“Heartbroken to hear loss of Kissimmee Police officer Matthew Baxter,” he wrote. “Praying for a quick recovery for officer in critical condition.”
Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Melinda Bondarenka said two troopers were shot and a suspect was shot dead after police responded to an incident near a store on Friday night, NBC News reported.
Bondarenka said said both were stable and alert after one was life-lifted to a hospital in Morgantown, West Virginia and the other was taken to a hospital in an ambulance.
