Police confirm Florida deputy dead and 2 officers injured in ambush shooting

An officer from Florida lost his life, while two other deputies were injured in an attempt to reach the initial officer during what authorities described as an unexpected shooting ambush inside a residence.

The trio of deputies were shot at a dwelling in Eustis, Florida, on Friday evening, as stated by Lake County Sheriff Peyton Grinnell in a press briefing conducted at the location.

Upon entering the home to rescue a deputy who had been shot and was trapped inside, two suspects were killed and one was injured when law enforcement officials stormed the residence, Grinnell revealed.

Around 8 p.m., authorities received a report of a disturbance. Subsequently, two deputies proceeded down the street from the caller and discovered a door that seemed to have been forcibly opened.

“Upon entering the residence, a considerable amount of gunfire erupted,” Grinnell stated.

One deputy was shot and trapped inside, while the other withdrew. Additional officers arrived and formed a team to enter the dwelling and rescue the deputy, but they were confronted with “a barrage of gunfire” and another deputy was hit, according to Grinnell.

The initial male deputy who was shot and trapped did not survive, Grinnell disclosed.

The second deputy sustained an injury to the shoulder and was in stable condition. Meanwhile, a third deputy was struck multiple times in the armpit, groin, and stomach areas, and was undergoing surgery, Grinnell mentioned, refraining from immediately identifying the involved officers.

“It is truly tragic when one of your own is trapped inside a residence and you are unable to reach them,” Grinnell expressed, highlighting the involvement of SWAT team members in reentering the dwelling in Eustis, which is approximately 37 miles (59 kilometers) northwest of Orlando.

“We possess the necessary equipment for such situations, and that’s precisely why we have this equipment. We meticulously searched the home to gain access and retrieve the deputy,” Grinnell stated. “It was a chaotic situation from beginning to end.”

Upon SWAT entering the residence, two suspects were discovered deceased, while a third was transported to a medical facility, Grinnell confirmed.

There was no prior history of violent offenses at the residence, and there were no indications suggesting a potential threat, he added.

“They were deliberately targeted,” Grinnell stated.