Melbourne man charged with attempted murder after allegedly shooting at police officers
A Melbourne man faces three counts of attempted first-degree murder after he opened fire at police officers with a handgun during a Saturday domestic violence call, Melbourne police said in a press release.
Anthony O. Rivera, 32, remains held without bond at the Brevard County Jail Complex. He made his initial court appearance Sunday morning from jail, and he will be arraigned Dec. 1 at the Harry T. and Harriette V. Moore Justice Center in Viera.
No one was injured during the incident, which occurred early Saturday at a home on Millicent Circle, a short street in a subdivision off Pirate Lane between Palm Bay Magnet High and Lipscomb Street.
Rivera also faces eight additional felony charges: two counts of shooting into an occupied dwelling, one count of aggravated battery domestic violence, one count of using a firearm in commission of a felony and four counts of criminal mischief.
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At about 1:55 a.m. Saturday, Melbourne police responded to a call of a man attempting to stab tires at the Millicent Circle home. Officers arrived and confronted Rivera, who fired several rounds at officers, the press release said.
One officer returned fire, and Rivera retreated into the home and began firing his handgun inside the residence, the press release said.
Police established a perimeter around the house, and "the male fired a second volley of shots from the second-floor window of the residence toward officers and other homes," the press release said.
Palm Bay police and Brevard County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrived on the scene, as did the Melbourne Police Department SWAT team and Crisis Negotiations Unit. Rivera voluntarily surrendered and was taken into custody.
The police officer who exchanged gunfire will be placed on routine administrative leave, the press release said.
Rick Neale is the South Brevard Watchdog Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY (for more of his stories, click here.) Contact Neale at 321-242-3638 or rneale@floridatoday.com. Twitter: @RickNeale1
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This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Melbourne man charged with attempted murder of law enforcement officers
