Doctors say shrapnel is lodged in the sergeant’s retina and a transfer for specialized surgery is being arranged.
PORT ST. LUCIE, FL — A 27-year veteran Port St. Lucie police sergeant was shot twice in the face during a Monday evening exchange of gunfire in the Town Park at Tradition community, leaving him in critical condition and under sedation while investigators review body-camera video and process the scene.
The shooting has jolted a fast-growing Treasure Coast city and put the department’s response to a mental health–related disturbance under scrutiny. Police identified the wounded officer as Sgt. Erik Levasseur, a road-patrol supervisor who was among six officers dispatched to the 11000 block of SW Lake Park Drive around 6:08 p.m. Monday. Officials said the suspect, 32-year-old Frankie Salvatore Riccio, was armed with an AK-47-style rifle and died at the scene after officers returned fire. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement has opened an independent review, standard in officer-involved shootings, while several officers are on administrative leave.
According to Police Chief Leo Niemczyk, the call originated as a neighbor dispute with a possible mental health component after a mother reported concerns about her son’s behavior and that he might be armed. As officers arrived, Riccio appeared near a garage with a rifle, ignored commands from a patrol car’s loudspeaker and fired. Gunfire erupted a second time as the suspect tried to reposition near officers using a cruiser for cover, Niemczyk said. Levasseur was struck near his nose and below his cheek. “This is the notification that you dread every day,” the chief said outside the hospital, adding that two of the six responders were trainees but were not hurt. Neighbors described hearing dozens of rapid shots and ducking inside as officers shouted for people to get away from windows.
Hospital officials said Levasseur underwent emergency surgery overnight and a follow-up procedure Tuesday to stabilize facial fractures. His jaw was wired to aid recovery, and doctors performed a tracheostomy to secure his airway. The department said physicians placed him in a medically induced coma. Specialists later detected shrapnel lodged in his retina that will require highly technical surgery at another trauma center; plans for the transfer are underway. Four officers have been placed on leave during the FDLE investigation, which will review shell casings, trajectories and body-camera recordings to determine the sequence of fire and which officers discharged weapons. The identities of all officers involved, aside from Levasseur, were not immediately released.
Body-camera clips released Tuesday show a barrage of gunfire as officers take cover, with one voice shouting, “Sarge, are you OK?” The video also shows an officer kicking away an AK-47 after Riccio falls to the ground. City officials said the initial 911 call referenced a disturbance and concerns about drug use in the hours before the confrontation; investigators have not confirmed what substances, if any, were involved. Riccio’s movements immediately before the first shots, including whether he fired first, remain under review. No other injuries to officers or residents were reported. The department said multiple spent casings were recovered across the driveway and street.
Port St. Lucie, a city of more than 230,000 that has grown rapidly in the past decade, has seen high-profile law enforcement incidents draw state-level reviews before, and FDLE protocols require outside investigators to collect evidence and interview witnesses before any internal policy decisions are made. Levasseur is widely known within the agency; colleagues said he has served more than two decades on road patrol and training. Mayor Shannon M. Martin issued a statement praising the “courage and quick actions” of responding officers and said early signs for Levasseur’s recovery were “hopeful,” while emphasizing support for his family and the department during the investigation.
FDLE’s use-of-force review runs parallel to the State Attorney’s Office assessment of whether the officers’ gunfire was justified under Florida law. Port St. Lucie police said they will conduct an internal investigation after the state review concludes. As of Wednesday, no additional suspects were sought. Officials said the department will provide the next detailed update after Levasseur’s transfer for retinal surgery is scheduled, and any further video releases will follow standard evidence procedures. Funeral arrangements for Riccio were not announced. A police briefing is expected later this week; specific time and date have not been set.
Outside HCA Florida Lawnwood Hospital in Fort Pierce, patrol cars lined the entrance Tuesday as officers rotated in to check on Levasseur’s condition. “We’re grateful the sergeant is alive,” Niemczyk said, crediting fast medical care and the officers who pulled him to safety. Ken Taylor, a neighbor near the scene, said he was unloading groceries when officers yelled for people to get inside. “All hell broke loose,” he said. “It sounded like 30 or 40 shots.” Residents in the Town Park community reported bullet holes in at least one garage door and said police worked past midnight photographing and collecting evidence.
By Wednesday morning, Levasseur remained in intensive care under sedation as the department prepared for his transfer for specialized eye surgery. FDLE agents continued canvassing the block for additional witnesses and home surveillance video. The next milestone is a medical update and the scheduling of the out-of-area procedure, which officials said could happen as soon as arrangements are finalized.
Author note: Last updated December 3, 2025.