Man dead after police-involved shooting in Florida

A man died after a shootout with police Saturday morning in Fort Pierce, officials said.

Fort Pierce Police officers responded to a possible shooting in the area of North 24th Street and Avenue I where they found a victim who had been shot.

While treating the victim, officers heard multiple gunshots nearby and started trying to locate the person firing the weapon, said authorities.

Officers encountered 28-year-old Bernard Smith in the 1600 block of North 25th Street. According to police, Smith was armed and officers exchanged gunfire with him.

Smith was killed in the shootout; no officers involved were injured.

Multiple Fort Pierce Police officers and deputies from the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office canvassed the area and located two other shooting victims, said Fort Pierce Police in a Facebook post.

Apart from Smith, police confirmed that two of the victims succumbed to their injuries, and the third victim remains in serious condition at HCA Florida Lawnwood Hospital.

The names of the victims haven’t yet been released.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating the officer-involved shooting while the Fort Pierce Police Department is handling the criminal investigation.

The officers involved in the shooting have been placed on paid administrative leave per Fort Pierce Police policy, said authorities.

“This is something that officers are constantly faced with, the dangers of what they have to encounter on the streets,” said Fort Pierce Police Major Michael Santiago. “Fortunately, our highly trained officers were able to end this violent spree before it went any further.”

This remains an active investigation.

Fort Pierce Police are asking anyone with information about this incident to contact Detective Jesse Love at 772-302-4790. Those wishing to remain anonymous can contact Treasure Coast Crime Stoppers at 1-(800)-273-8477.