A man who was allegedly yelling “anti-Trump sentiment” was shot early on Friday, May 18, after exchanging gunfire with police near President Donald Trump’s Florida golf club, according to reports.
He added that the man, who acted alone, “had an American flag that he did drape over the counter.”
President Trump was not at the club at the time of the incident, officials said.
Police said that an officer suffered an unspecified injury.
“You know, these officers did not hesitate one second to engage this individual that was actively shooting in the lobby of the hotel,” Perez said. “They risked their lives knowing that they had to get in there to save lives in that hotel.”
He was later identified as 42-year-old Jonathan Oddi. Officials said that he was firing a handgun at chandeliers and the roof of the lobby.
Oddi, police said, was later “neutralized” during a shootout with police, suffering gunshot wounds to the legs. He is in stable condition at a nearby hospital, said police, Fox reported.
“It appears he was trying to engage our police officers… in some type of ambush-style attack,” Perez was quoted by Fox as saying. “He prepared the area for battle.”
“In my opinion, they probably saved a hell of a lot of lives today, because this could have gone a lot worse,” Perez said of the police response.
The Secret Service, meanwhile, said it is on the scene to aid in the investigation.
“The U.S. Secret Service is aware of shooting that took place early this morning at the Trump National Doral Golf Club in Doral, FL,“ the Secret Service said in a statement. ”Special Agents from the Miami Field Office are on the scene and working closely with our law enforcement partners.”
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