Six US police officers shot in one night, Donald Trump offers condolences

Washington: Six United States police officers were shot in one night in the states of Florida and Pennsylvania, one fatally, prompting President Donald Trump to tweet his support for the slain officer’s department early Saturday. In the central Florida city of Kissimmee — close to the Walt Disney World Resort and other amusement parks — Officer Matthew Baxter was killed and Sergeant Sam Howard was left in “grave critical condition and the prognosis does not look good,” police chief Jeff O’Dell said at a news conference early on Saturday. The officers had been checking on suspicious people in an area known for drug activity around 9.30 pm on Friday (0130 GMT on Saturday). Five minutes later, authorities received a call that officers had been shot. First responders found the officers “gravely wounded” in the road, O’Dell said. “My thoughts and prayers are with the @KissimmeePolice and their loved ones. We are with you!” Trump, a staunch supporter of US law enforcement, tweeted early Saturday.

My thoughts and prayers are with the @KissimmeePolice and their loved ones. We are with you!#LESM

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 19, 2017

In the northern Florida city of Jacksonville, sheriff’s officers responding to an attempted suicide call late Friday were confronted by a suspect firing a high-powered rifle, Director Mike Bruno told a news conference. Two officers were shot in the exchange of gunfire, one hit in both hands and the other in the stomach, Bruno said. The suspect was killed. And two Pennsylvania state troopers were shot Friday night, the agency said. “Two state troopers shot and [the] suspect is deceased,” Pennsylvania State Police spokeswoman Melinda Bondarenka told ABC News. “We are not releasing any more details at this time.” Both troopers are expected to survive, ABC said of the shooting in the community of Fairchance, about 97 kilometers south of Pittsburgh.