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Investigation launched after officer-involved shooting of man following stabbing of 9-year-old girl

Updated  May 6, 2020 10:52am EDT
Osceola County
FOX 35 Orlando

9-year-old stabbed, suspect shot and killed by police

A man was shot and killed by St. Cloud police after officials say he stabbed a 9-year-old girl multiple times..

ST. CLOUD, Fla. - A man was shot and killed by St. Cloud police after officials say he stabbed a 9-year-old girl multiple times.

That little girl, named Jada Lee, is now recovering at Arnold Palmer Hospital in Orlando and is expected to survive.

Her mom, Veronica Snyder, says she has already had to undergo surgery and it will be a long recovery since she was stabbed multiple times and has injuries to her face and neck.

But Snyder says police shot the wrong guy.

According to St. Cloud Police Chief Pete Gauntlett, their preliminary investigation shows witnesses reported the girl was stabbed inside a home and then a suspect covered in blood ran through the neighborhood.

Police say they found a man matching the alleged attacker’s description when they got into a struggle and an officer shot him.

The suspect died at the scene. 

Police say child was stabbed by man who was fatally shot by officers

The St. Cloud Police Department says a man believed to be the suspect in an attempted burglary and stabbing of a child, has been fatally shot during an altercation with officers.

"Officers on the scene immediately began to providing life-saving measures and requested our EMS respond," said Chief Gauntlett.   

Snyder says it was her brother who was killed while trying to chase the real stabber.

"We heard, 'the baby'” and my brother ran after him [the intruder]," she says. "My daughter's in the hospital and police are saying my brother did it. My brother was trying to help! He’s a hero!" she said.

The police chief says, "I think that’s speculation on whoever’s part that is and we have a lot of investigating to do.”

For now, the mother says her daughter is recovering from surgery meant to try to save her eye.

The St. Cloud Police Department will investigate the stabbing of the girl, "which is horrific and totally unacceptable in our society today," the police chief said, and the FDLE is investigating the use of force by officers.