FORT LAUDERDALE, FL – A police officer was wounded in a shooting incident outside a hotel in Fort Lauderdale on Thursday morning. The officer, who was promptly transported to a nearby hospital, is reportedly in stable condition and expected to recover, according to local law enforcement. The alleged shooter has been apprehended, as confirmed by Fort Lauderdale Police.
The incident occurred in a bustling tourist area of Florida, though officials were quick to assure the public that there was no active shooter situation. However, the specifics of the incident remain largely undisclosed.
The vicinity of the 17th Street and 15th Avenue intersection, where the Holiday Inn is situated, was cordoned off in all directions. The police have yet to disclose the events leading up to the shooting or the identity of the suspect.
The scene was heavily guarded with armored trucks stationed outside the hotel and a large number of police vehicles in the surrounding area.
An eyewitness, a guest at the hotel, reported to the Sun Sentinel that the shooting seemed to have originated from the pool deck above the hotel’s parking garage. Alexis Boettcher, a visitor from Cleveland, shared her experience of being ushered into an event room by the hotel staff when the incident occurred.
The city of Fort Lauderdale is currently experiencing a busier than usual spring break season, following a surge of vacationers heading up the Florida coast due to Miami Beach’s split with the traditional March festivities. Authorities have not commented on whether there is any link between the spring break and the shooting incident.
Prior to this occurrence, Fort Lauderdale police had reported a relatively peaceful spring break season, with 13 related arrests from March 1 to 17, and no significant incidents.