Funeral for fallen Daytona Beach officer to be held Monday
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - The funeral for fallen police Officer Jason Raynor will be held Monday morning in Daytona Beach.
The Daytona Beach Police Department announced on Tuesday evening that Officer Jason Raynor has died almost two months after being shot in the line of duty.
Officer Raynor, 26, was shot in the head on June 23rd while responding to a call of suspicious activity. A manhunt for the suspect, Othal Wallace, 29, went nationwide, with Wallace eventually being tracked down in a treehouse near Atlanta, Georgia days later. Wallace was extradited back to Volusia County after the shooting and has remained behind bars.
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Officer Raynor passed away at 8:09 p.m. at Halifax Health Medical Center in Daytona Beach with his family by his side, according to a police department spokesman.
Daytona Beach Police Chief Jakari Young released a statement about Officer Raynor's death.
He said, in part, "It is with an extremely heavy heart that I inform everyone that our beloved brother, Officer Jason Raynor, has passed away," Chief Young said. "The outpouring of love and support that all of you have shown to our police department and to Officer Raynor's family since he was severely injured has been nothing short of amazing."
An ‘End of Watch’ call was also given for Officer Jaynor on Tuesday evening.
Then, on Thursday, a wreath was placed in front of Officer Raynor's patrol car during a ceremony. People from across the area lined up to pay their respects. The memorial will stay up through the weekend for those who want to visit.
RELATED: Wreath-laying ceremony held to honor fallen Daytona Beach officer
Officer Raynor becomes the tenth DBPD officer to fall in the line of duty, according to the police department. Prior to this, the last DBPD officer to lose his life from injuries sustained while on patrol was Kevin Fischer in 1998. The last officer to pass away from injuries while on duty was Thomas Coulter in 2018 during a training exercise.
Meanwhile, the State Attorney's Office announced on Wednesday that they are seeking the death penalty against Wallace.
RELATED: State Attorney's Office says they are seeking death penalty against Othal Wallace
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of Officer Jason Raynor, the Daytona Beach Police Department, and all our brothers and sisters in law enforcement," said State Attorney R.J. Larizza. "We will proceed with our solemn mission to hold Officer Jason Raynor’s murderer accountable." He then added, "Justice equals accountability and justice demands the death penalty."
Othal Wallace appears before judge following upgraded murder charge
Othal Wallace appears before a judge as he now faces an upgraded murder charge following the passing of Daytona Beach Police Officer Jason Raynor. The State Attorney’s Office has already announced that they are pursuing the death penalty.
Wallace now faces a 'First Degree Murder of a Law Enforcement Officer' charge.
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