Daytona Beach man shoots Ormond Beach officer in hospital after elderly couple attack

Michael Hightower, 40, seized a police officer's gun at AdventHealth Daytona and shot him in the leg. He had been arrested hours earlier for assaulting two elderly victims.

Suspect overpowers guard, fires officer's own weapon at Florida hospital

A 40-year-old Daytona Beach man shot an Ormond Beach police officer in the leg early on 21 September after overpowering the officer assigned to guard him at AdventHealth in Daytona Beach, according to bradenton.com, citing an Ormond Beach Police Department Facebook post.

The incident occurred at approximately 3:20 a.m. The officer, who sustained non-life-threatening injuries, is expected to make a full recovery.

The suspect, identified as Michael Hightower, had been taken to the hospital for a medical evaluation following a separate arrest the previous evening. During a physical altercation with the guarding officer, Hightower managed to seize the officer's firearm and discharged it, striking the lawman in the leg, police stated.

Earlier assault on elderly couple left two in critical condition

Hightower's initial arrest stemmed from an attack on a 79-year-old man and a 74-year-old woman outside Daytona College at 425 S. Nova Road at around 6:43 p.m. on 20 September.

The two victims had gone to the address to check an alarm notification. They discovered a suspicious vehicle parked outside and, upon entering the building, found items that did not belong there — including an unidentified wallet, an ID card and alcohol — according to the police Facebook post.

While the couple stood outside and waited for police, Hightower exited the building, got into his vehicle and allegedly struck the woman with the car. He then got out and allegedly assaulted both victims, striking and kicking them multiple times before fleeing the scene, police said.

Officers and paramedics arrived at approximately 6:50 p.m. and found both victims in critical condition. They were transported to hospital for treatment.

Multi-agency manhunt leads to arrest, then hospital transfer

A multi-jurisdictional response was launched following the assault. Officers located Hightower walking near the 300 block of Clyde Morris Boulevard at approximately 7:37 p.m. and brought him to the Ormond Beach Police Department for questioning.

After questioning concluded, he was transported to a Daytona Beach hospital for a medical evaluation — where, hours later, the shooting of the guarding officer took place.

Hightower is now in custody and faces two counts of attempted felony murder, the Ormond Beach Police Department stated.

Source: Google News MT — Crime (en)