Orange County Sheriff: Gunman Killed 5 Then Self

Sheriff: Fired worker kills 5, then self as siren approached
Associated Press
By TERRANCE HARRIS AND MIKE SCHNEIDER
Published: June 5, 2017

ORLANDO, Fla. — A lone gunman returned with a semi-automatic pistol to the Orlando awning factory where was fired in April and methodically killed five people Monday, then killed himself at the sound of an approaching siren, authorities said.

Authorities confer near the scene of a shooting where they said there were multiple fatalities in an industrial area near Orlando, Fla., Monday, June 5, 2017. The Orange County Sheriff's Office said on its official Twitter account that the situation has been contained. JOHN RAOUX/AP

Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings identified the shooter as John Robert Neumann Jr., a 45-year-old Army veteran who lived alone and did not appear to be a member of any type of subversive or terrorist organization.

The shooting began at about 8 a.m. after Neuman slipped through a rear door into the cavernous factory, an area larger than two football fields where awnings are stitched together for recreational vehicles. He paused at least once to reload.
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Orlando Police Officer Killed and Motorcycle Deputy Killed Responding

Slain officer identified as 17-year-veteran of OPD

WESH 2 News
Updated: 2:50 PM EST Jan 9, 2017

ORLANDO, Fla. — Orlando police have identified the officer who was gunned down while on duty Monday morning.

Chief John Mina identified the slain officer as Master Sgt. Debra Clayton, a 17-year-veteran of the department.

Clayton was shot and killed in the line of duty near a Walmart in Orlando.

Police Chief John Mina said the suspect, Markieth Loyd, 41, also is also wanted in the slaying of a pregnant woman.

Colleagues of Clayton said she was married and a mother of two. She was being remembered Monday as a person who always had a smile on her face and often took time out of her day to interact with the community.
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Slain Orlando police officer Debra Clayton called a hero
Orlando Sentinel
David Harris
January 9, 2017

A sheriff's deputy later was killed in a crash with a 78-year-old driver.

Debra Clayton, the 17-year Orlando police officer killed Monday morning, was hailed as a hero by Chief John Mina.

"She will be deeply missed," Mina said

Clayton, 42, was married and the mother of an adult son who is in college, according to Mina. She was assigned to dayshift patrol and will be "missed beyond words."

"She always had a smile [and] high five for every kid she came across," the department tweeted.

Hours after the killing, friends gathered in front of her home on a tree-lined street in Ocoee, where neighbors say they shared power washers and tools with each other.

Teresa Sokolovic, a teacher at St. Cloud High School, met Clayton in December 2015 at a charity event at Camping World Stadium.
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UPDATE

Click OrlandoORLANDO, Fla. - An Orange County Sheriff's Office deputy was struck and killed Monday morning during a search for a man who is accused of killing an Orlando police officer, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
The deputy, identified around 5 p.m. Monday as Deputy First Class Norman Lewis, was on a motorcycle when a van hit him. Lewis, 35, was hired at the Orange County Sheriff's Office in 2005. He's a University of Central Florida alumnus and played football for the Knights, deputies said.

Homeless Vietnam Veteran Shown Compassion by Orange County Judge

Orange County judge shows compassion for homeless veteran accused of shoplifting
WFTV ABC News 9
Updated: May 20, 2016

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla.
A homeless man who fought in Vietnam asked an Orange County judge to lock him up and throw away the key.

The man was accused of shoplifting, but the judge showed the man some compassion.

“We owe these guys. I mean, they’re veterans,” sad Judge Jerry Brewer. “They did that No. 1 thing that the majority of people haven’t done.”

Lawrence Clark started by claiming he was guilty, something people rarely do in their first court appearance.

Police said he rode his wheelchair into a downtown Orlando Publix last week where he grabbed a 12-pack of beer.

When Clark went in front of a judge, his wheelchair hidden by a tall desk, he told his story to Brewer.

“I’m homeless. A disabled Vietnam veteran, and the VA is screwing me around. Social Security is doing the same thing,” Clark said.

Brewer said he was only mildly surprised by what happened after he told Clark he would appoint him a public defender.

“No, no your honor, I just want to plead guilty and ask you to sentence me to the maximum sentence,” said Brewer.
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Street Named After Iraq Veteran and Fallen Deputy Sheriff Brandon Coates

Avalon Park street to be named after fallen deputy
The Orange County Sheriff's Office will hold a naming ceremony at 10 a.m. tomorrow in Avalon Park.
By Arelis R. Hernández
Orlando Sentinel
June 4, 2013

The Orange County Sheriff's Office will hold a ceremony Wednesday to name an Avalon Park street after fallen deputy sheriff Brandon Coates, who was killed by a felon during a Dec. 2010 traffic stop.

Coates' widow, Virginia, and mother, Deborah, are expected to attend the 10 a.m. event along with Sheriff Jerry Demings, Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs and several others.

The dedication will name a street near the 3700 block of East Avalon Park Boulevard.

Coates, 27, was a member of the Sheriff's Tactical Ant-Crime Unit and regularly patrolled high-crime neighborhoods like the one near South Orange Blossom Trail where he pulled over Brandon Lyals.

Lyals shot and killed Coates, a U.S. Marine and Iraq war veteran, following a struggle. The 29-year-old convict later killed himself.
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Purple Heart Recognition Day, Orange County, Orlando

Photo by Orange County Board of Commissioners

Purple Heart Recognition Day, Orange County, Orlando August 7, 2012

Orange County Florida Honoring Purple Hearts

If you live in the Orlando area and think I'm busy, Cathy Haynes makes me look lazy.


From Cathy Haynes

Tomorrow - Tues., August 7 - is Purple Heart Day, recognizing military personnel wounded or killed in combat.

Tomorrow - Tues., August 7 - is Purple Heart Day, recognizing military personnel wounded or killed in combat. Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs with the Orange County Board of Commissioners will issue and present a Proclamation honoring the local Military Order of the Purple Heart (MOPH) and all Purple Heart medal recipients. The presentation is at 1:30 pm in the Commissioners Chambers of the Administration Building.

You are welcomed to attend with others who have served our country!

Please RSVP to me prior to 9 am if you plan to attend, especially if you wish to have a copy of the Proclamation after the presentation.
  chaynes11629@yahoo.com
Promptly at 1:30 pm, Orange County Administration Building, 1st Floor in the Commissioners Chambers, 201 South Rosalind Ave., Orlando.
You will need to go thru the Building Security area - metal detector.

Disabled veteran's dream of a new home comes true

Laney Cope and her father, Joshua, test the water in the pool at their new Oakland home this week. (Gary W. Green, Orlando Sentinel)

Home at last: Disabled veteran's dream of a new home comes true
Nov 22, 2008
Darryl E. Owens | Sentinel Staff Writer
November 22, 2008
As soon as the Honda Element eased into the driveway Tuesday morning, a barefoot Laney Cope bolted from her car seat and scampered around to the passenger side to greet her father. The 2-year-old just couldn't wait. Neither could Joshua Cope.The doors of his adaptive vehicle couldn't open soon enough, the hydraulic ramp couldn't lower quickly enough, and his motorized wheelchair couldn't roll out of the hold fast enough. Finally, this was the day. Joshua and Erica Cope were homeowners.


The Copes' 3,775-square-foot house, nestled on a tree-lined half-acre plot in this west Orange County town, was built and paid for by West Orange Habitat for Humanity. The group's "Home at Last" project, which will be dedicated this morning at Oakland Avenue Charter School, was a pioneering venture to build a house for a severely injured veteran of the wars in Iraq or Afghanistan.

Its first recipient: Army Sgt. Joshua Cope.

Usually, recipients of Habitat houses must invest hundreds of hours of their own labor in building their home, which in the United States costs an average of $60,000. The "sweat equity" requirement was waived for the Copes.
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The Copes tour their new home Photos

Do you know a severely injured vet who need a home?
Josh Cope - Long journey back, a step at a time Photos