First Responders

Watch: Daytona Beach Police Officer Shot in Chest During Intense Apartment Gunfight

September 1, 2020Joshua Skovlund
daytona beach police department

The exact moment the murder suspect fired shots at the leading officer. Screengrab from youtube.

A Daytona Beach Police Department (DBPD) officer was shot in the chest during an apartment shootout on Saturday. The gunfight ended with two officers injured, the suspect dead, and an officer’s body camera video footage capturing it all.


On Saturday at 2:38 p.m., the DBPD received a tip on the whereabouts of 44-year-old Michael Harris, a murder suspect they had been looking for. According to a DBPD press release, “DBPD’s Criminal Investigations Division (CID) had an active arrest warrant for Harris in relation to the shooting of a woman on August 18, 2020 at the Travelers Inn in Daytona Beach (850 South Ridgewood Avenue).” Both DBPD and Holly Hill Police Department officers responded to the location of the suspect. A perimeter was established and officers approached the apartment.


Watch the video to see what happens next:



 


The officer has not been identified by the department yet due to the ongoing Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigation into the shooting. Another officer on scene tripped and fell when the shooting began inside the apartment, experiencing a head and neck injury. DBPD officials said both officers are in stable condition and are expected to make full recoveries. All officers involved in the shooting have been placed on paid administrative leave, which is standard operating procedure for the department.


“If you pull a gun on a police officer and shoot a police officer, you’re going to get killed. … We don’t want to take a life, we want to save life — that’s what we are sworn to do,” said Daytona Beach Chief of Police Craig Capri during a Saturday press conference. He said Harris’ actions forced officers on scene to return fire, which resulted in his death.



Joshua Skovlund
Joshua Skovlund

Joshua Skovlund is a former staff writer for Coffee or Die. He has covered the 75th anniversary of D-Day in France, multinational military exercises in Germany, and civil unrest during the 2020 riots in Minneapolis. Born and raised in small-town South Dakota, he grew up playing football and soccer before serving as a forward observer in the US Army. After leaving the service, he worked as a personal trainer while earning his paramedic license. After five years as in paramedicine, he transitioned to a career in multimedia journalism. Joshua is married with two children. His creative outlets include Skovlund Photography and Concentrated Emotion.

More from Coffee or Die Magazine
soflete
Soflete: How This Veteran-Led Company is Changing Military Fitness Culture

In 2014, Soflete’s co-founders saw workout overkill hurting their peers as they prepared for selecti...

glock 19
Glock 19: Origin Story of a Legendary Pistol

Get to know the Glock 19 — how it works, who uses it, and why it’s one of the most popular handguns in the US.

afghan soldier asylum
Afghan Soldier Who Helped US Weathers Injuries, Uncertainty in Asylum Bid

Afghan soldier who assisted the U.S. now faces uncertainty in bid for asylum.

The Dirty Dozen
‘The Dirty Dozen’: Meet D-Day’s Real Rogue Commandos

The Dirty Dozen was based on a real team of rule-breaking elite paratroopers who jumped into France ahead of D-Day.

d-day 79th anniversary
Normandy Marks D-Day's 79th Anniversary, Honors World War II Veterans

This year's D-Day tribute to the young soldiers who died in Normandy is not only a chance to honor t...

f-22 raptor
The F-22: The Superiority Fighter That Never Shot Down an Enemy Plane

The F-22 Raptor was designed to fight next-gen Russian fighters. So far its only air-to-air kills are a Chinese balloon and a UFO.

Battle of Midway
The Battle of Midway: Where America's March to Victory Began

The US Navy outwitted and outfought the Imperial Japanese Navy to secure victory in the do-or-die Battle of Midway.

  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Careers
Contact Us
  • Request a Correction
  • Write for Us
  • General Inquiries
© 2023 Coffee or Die Magazine. All Rights Reserved