Walmart shoplifting incident escalates to officer-involved shooting in Ocoee

Chantelle Navarro
·2 min read
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Investigators spent hours blocking off part of Old Winter Garden Road in Ocoee after an officer-involved shooting that started off as a shoplifting call at the Walmart on Colonial Drive.

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“As officers arrived, loss prevention told them that both of the suspects got into a green pickup truck with an out-of-state tag,” said Ocoee Deputy Chief Vincent Ogburn.

Ogburn said the truck was the suspected shoplifter’s getaway vehicle. Ogburn said they took off from the Walmart, ultimately hitting another vehicle in a parking lot nearby. That’s when investigators said one of the suspects got out of the truck.

“He raised his hand and had something in his hand that the officer thought was a weapon, so he returned fire,” said Chief Ogburn.

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That person was brought to the hospital with a gunshot wound to his upper body and he’s expected to be okay.

Officers didn’t find a weapon on him.

Ogburn said the driver was hurt during the chase as well, but his injuries are minor.

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Channel 9 is still working to learn their identifications and what charges they will be facing.

The officers are on paid administrative leave while FDLE steps in to investigate what happened.

“Officers safety is of utmost importance. That’s what our policy is,” said Ogburn. “We’re going to make sure we go home safe.”

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Chief Ogburn said the truck had out-of-state tags and the two suspects didn’t have any ID on them, so they aren’t sure whether they’re from the area or not.

Ogburn said one of the suspects is an adult and another is likely a juvenile, but they’re still working to confirm that.

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