Officers Fatally Shoot Armed Man at Downtown Condos

Pensacola, FL (Newsradio 92.3) -- Pensacola Police officers fatally shot an armed man at Carlton Palms condos on Garden Street Wednesday after he raised a weapon toward them.

Officers responded to a 911 call about shots being fired inside the residential building. By the time three officers arrived, the suspect was in the parking lot. He refused multiple commands to drop his weapon, stood in the open without taking cover, then raised the gun toward officers.

"In just a couple of seconds after that, he raised the weapon toward the officers and they were forced to fire," said PPD Public Information Officer Mike Wood.

The suspect died at the hospital.

Before going outside, the officers say the suspect put his gun in someone's face inside the building and pulled the trigger, but the weapon malfunctioned. No one else was injured despite shots being fired in a heavily populated area.

Wood said the shooting takes a toll on the officers involved.

"When people say this is what the cops signed up for, this is not what we signed up for," Wood said. "These officers have to live with this the rest of their life."

The officers are on paid administrative leave while FDLE investigates. The suspect's identity and motive have not been released.