ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Two Florida police officers were shot and critically injured during a traffic stop in Orlando late Friday, police said.
The Orlando Police Department officers stopped a vehicle around 11 p.m. Friday as part of an investigation of a Miami homicide and were shot by a suspect in the car, Orlando Police Chief Eric Smith said during a press conference early Saturday.
The officers, who were not immediately identified, were transported to Orlando Regional Medical Center, Smith said.
The suspect carjacked another vehicle and police pursued, but did not immediately catch the suspect. A search was ongoing early Saturday, Smith said.
“This is a sad day for our department,” Smith said. “For the suspects out there, we will find you and you will be brought to justice.”
Later in the morning, the Orlando Police Department said there was a large police presence near an outlet mall in the city's tourist district, related to the officers' shooting, without providing any further details. The police agency urged people on social media to avoid the area and expect traffic delays.
