ORLANDO, Fla. – Police officers shot a man who had been acting erratically as he ran toward a vehicle entering an Orlando apartment complex early Wednesday, officials said.
Multiple residents called 911 just before 1 a.m. Wednesday about a man who was knocking on windows at the Vista Verde Apartments, Deputy Chief Eric Smith said during a news conference.
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When officers arrived at the complex, they saw a man running with a gun.
“They caught up to him as they saw him get into somebody’s vehicle, somebody was driving into the parking lot, he jumped into the passenger side of that vehicle," Smith said. “Officers approached him and at that point, they saw a firearm. Officers fired multiple rounds at the suspect, striking the suspect to protect the civilian that was still in the vehicle.”
The man was taken to Orlando Regional Medical Center and was in stable condition, Smith said.
“This is just an unfortunate incident but it’s one that we responded to in order to protect our citizens,” Smith said.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating the shooting. Five officers who were involved in the incident have been placed on paid administrative leave.