PALM BAY, FL – A deadly shootout unfolded in Palm Bay, Florida, on Sunday afternoon, leaving two dead and two police officers injured. According to Palm Bay authorities, officers were responding to a domestic disturbance when they found themselves faced with an armed 24-year-old man, Brandon Kapas.
Palm Bay Police Chief Mariano Augello, at a Sunday news conference, discussed how Kapas refused orders given by the officers, resulting in an exchange of gunfire. Kapas was able to escape the immediate scene, causing injury to the officers, but was pursued by other officers.
The pursuit ended with Kapas fatally wounding another individual before being engaged and killed by law enforcement. In Augello’s words, the officers were only doing what they had been trained for by neutralizing a threat to the community.
The names of the deceased victim and the injured officers have not been released to the public. However, Augello reassured that the officers would survive their injuries and are currently receiving treatment at a local hospital.
Expressing his sadness over the tragic events, Palm Bay Mayor Rob Medina, voiced his sympathy for the grieving families and praised the selfless service provided by officers in protecting the community.
The officer-involved shooting is set to be examined by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.