Police shoot, kill man in downtown Orlando, chief says

A man was shot and killed in downtown Orlando by a police officer early Monday, according to Orlando Police Chief Eric Smith.

The unidentified man was a suspect for drug activity in the area of Jefferson Street and North Orange Avenue, Smith said during a morning press briefing.

“The officers were doing a drug investigation, and basically the person— the suspect — made a quick movement to as to retrieve a firearm, and the shooting happened,” he said. “I know drugs were seen and that’s why officers stopped and checked out the person.”

But no firearm has been recovered at the scene, he said.

The incident occurred at 1:52 a.m. After the incident, the shooting victim was transported to an area hospital where he died, Smith said.

Police did not identify the officer involved in the shooting, but said the Florida Department of Law Enforcement would conduct an independent review of the shooting followed by the State Attorney’s office, Smith said. The officer has been placed on paid administrative leave, and OPD would be doing its own investigation.

The officer was wearing a body camera, footage from which Smith has seen, and that video will be made available to the public within 30 days.