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WASHINGTON, United States — Six US police officers were shot in one night in the states of Florida and Pennsylvania, two fatally, prompting President Donald Trump to tweet his support for the slain officers’ department early Saturday.
In the central Florida city of Kissimmee — close to the Walt Disney World Resort and other amusement parks — Officer Matthew Baxter died shortly after a shooting Friday; his colleague, Sergeant Richard “Sam” Howard, died of his wounds on Saturday, the police department announced on Twitter.
The officers had been checking on suspicious people in an area known for drug activity around 9:30 pm Friday (0130 GMT 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.
A suspect, identified by police as Everett Miller, was arrested.
“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.
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 an exchange of gunfire, one hit in both hands and the other in the stomach, Bruno said. The suspect was killed. The officers were both in stable condition Saturday, the website of the Florida Times-Union reported.
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 60 miles (97 kilometers) south of Pittsburgh. CBB