Man accused of attacking couple in Daytona Beach, shooting officer at hospital, police say
Florida couple attacked, officer shot; suspect arrested
A Florida man is accused of brutally attacking an elderly couple in Daytona Beach, and later grabbing an officer's gun and shooting him in the leg, authorities said. Michael Hightower is now facing several charges in connection to both incidents.
ORMOND BEACH, Fla. - A Florida man suspected of attacking an elderly couple outside Daytona College on Sunday is also suspected of fighting with an Ormond Beach police officer at the hospital, grabbing the officer's gun, and shooting him in the leg, according to the Daytona Beach and Ormond Beach police departments.
What we know about the suspect
What we know:
Michael Hightower, 40, of Daytona Beach, has been booked into jail on two counts of attempted felony murder in connection to the attack on the couple, according to the Ormond Beach Police Department.
He has also been charged with three counts of battery on a law enforcement officer and one count of assault on a law enforcement officer in connection to the shooting at the hospital, police said.
The Ormond Beach Police Department is investigating the attack on the elderly couple, while the Daytona Beach Police Department is the lead agency investigating the shooting of the Ormond Beach police officer.
Elderly couple violently attacked outside Daytona College
Timeline:
On Sunday evening, a 79-year-old man and a 74-year-old woman were rushed to the hospital in critical condition after being attacked outside Daytona College.
Police said the couple responded to Daytona College after receiving an alert from a burglary alarm. The couple found a wallet, ID card, and suspected alcohol inside the building and did not know who they belonged to, then contacted Volusia County dispatch.
After the couple called 911, officials said a suspect, later identified as Hightower, walked out of the building and got into a vehicle. He then allegedly hit the woman with his vehicle, got out of the vehicle, and hit and kicked the man and woman multiple times, before driving away.
Alleged suspect found, detained for questioning
Police said Hightower was found roughly an hour later on Clyde Morris Blvd., where he was detained for questioning. After being questioned, he was taken to a nearby hospital for evaluation.
Ormond Beach PD provide updates on officer shooting
The Ormond Beach Police Department provided updates Monday afternoon on a multi-agency investigation that led to an officer-involved shooting. Officials say 40-year-old suspect Michael Hightower shot a police officer in the leg during a physical altercation at a Daytona hospital before being taken into custody. The officer sustained non-life-threatening injuries, and Hightower now faces charges including two counts of attempted felony murder. FOX 35's Garrett Wymer took the full news conference.
Ormond Beach police officer shot in the leg after fight with suspect
Around 3:20 a.m. on Sept. 21, police said Hightower got into a fight with an Ormond Beach police officer who was assigned to guard him, grabbed the officer's gun, and shot the officer in the leg.
Police identified the officer as Austin Long. He's expected to be OK.
Credit: Ormond Beach Police Department.
What they're saying:
"First and foremost, our thoughts are with the couple and our officer as they recover from this heinous incident," said Police Chief Jesse Godfrey in a statement.
"We are incredibly thankful for the swift response and assistance from our neighboring agencies."
What we know about the victims
Officers found both the man and the woman on the ground, unresponsive, and in "large pools of blood," according to the arrest affidavit. Both were taken to the hospital in extremely critical condition, the report said, noting that both victims were on life support.
Officials have not identified them.
The Source: This story was written with information released by the Ormond Beach Police Department.