Port Orange officers involved in shooting

PORT ORANGE, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) - One man is dead and a police officer was injured after a shoot-out in Port Orange.

James Baker lives at the apartment complex where it happened. He said the gunshots shattered his sleep.

“When I stepped outside saw nothing but blue lights, and I knew immediately what had went down after I heard so may gunshots,” Baker said, “I knew someone was clearly deceased at that time.”

Port Orange Police Chief Thomas Grimaldi said it was a shoot-out between three of his officers and 53-year-old Robert Powell, from Daytona Beach. “The person fired upon our officers and our officers fired back.”

Police said it started when Powell approached Officer Wayne Jean and started to talk with him. They say Powell suddenly sped off, hitting Officer Jean with his car. Police chased Powell to the Coral Bay Villas apartment complex, where they say he stopped his car and pulled out a handgun. It all ended in the apartment complex parking lot. Police say the three officers confronted Powell, whom they killed when they say he shot at them.

Chief Grimaldi said there were still a lot of unanswered questions. “Right now, so early in the investigation it's difficult to determine why it happened, what exactly happened. That's what we're trying to piece together, now,” he said.

They say it’s an ongoing investigation, FDLE and Volusia County are also involved. They say officer Jean sustained only minor injuries and should make a full recovery.