Reward increased to $200K for arrest of man accused of shooting Daytona Beach police officer
LAKE MARY, Fla. - The reward offered for information leading to the arrest of the man accused of shooting a Daytona Beach police officer has doubled.
Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood on Friday announced that an anonymous donor has contributed another $100,000 to the reward for information leading to the arrest of 29-year-old Othal Wallace in the shooting of 26-year-old Daytona Beach police officer Jason Raynor.
The reward now stands at $200,000 total. Anyone with information about Wallace’s whereabouts is asked to contact the DBPD tip line at 386-671-5555, or 911 in an emergency.
RELATED: Community rallies around Daytona Beach officer shot in the line of duty
Raynor remains in critical condition two days after being shot while responding to a suspicious incident at a location on Kingston Ave, the Daytona Beach Police Department said.
"He’s still fighting for his life," police spokesperson Messod Bendayan told FOX 35 News on Friday.
People packed into the lobby at Halifax Health for a prayer vigil for the young Daytona Beach police officer on Thursday.
Daytona Beach Chief Jakari Young said Raynor has been with his department since 2019. The Port Orange Police Department said Officer Raynor was an officer there, from 2016-2019.
A Port Orange spokesperson tells FOX 35 News he won an award in 2018 for helping rescue a woman trying to jump off a bridge. The agency described him as an exemplary officer with a "jovial spirit and genuine concern for his brothers and sisters and the communities he serves."
Wallace is still on the run and authorities believe he may have left the state.
"We’ve got a lot of resources working towards finding this guy, capturing him, and bringing him to justice," Bendayan said.
Investigators said they are also aware of Wallace posting about the NFAC Black Militia on his Facebook page, wearing military gear. The organization is described as a Black nationalist paramilitary organization.
"We know about it. I promise you we’ve got a great team of cyber crimes people who are all about the social media life and know what to look for," Bendayan explained.
A GoFundMe page has been set up for Officer Raynor. If you would like to donate, go here. Donations are also pouring into the police department as residents show their support for the police department and Officer Raynor’s family.
Shirley Pyle of The Pilot Club Halifax said she was dropping off a cartload of snacks and drinks for the police officers.
"Our prayers are with you. You have a village of people praying for you," she said of Officer Raynor.
Another resident, Sheena Bryan, brought flowers by the police station.
"I woke up this morning and just felt like I needed to do something," she explained.
"We made a banner for the officer, a ‘get well’ banner," said Caleb Proctor of Fast Signs Daytona Beach.
Bendayan added, "I think Officer Raynor’s family is grateful for it. It’s a tough time for them right now."
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