From Staff Reports and the Apopka Police Department
Officers from the Apopka Police Department responded to a call at The Oasis at Wekiva apartment complex about a medical incident around 4 p.m. on Friday, according to a statement released by the APD.
"Upon arrival, officers began to provide aid to the patient until the Apopka Fire Department arrived. Once the patient was transported to the hospital, officers began to interview a male occupant of the apartment when he produced a handgun. Officers immediately retreated from the apartment. Central Florida Metro SWAT responded, and upon entry into the apartment, they located a male deceased inside the apartment from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound."
The Central Florida Metro SWAT is comprised of officers from the Apopka, Maitland, Ocoee, Winter Garden, and Winter Park police departments. The unit responds to calls in those five cities.
Apopka Police Chief Michael McKinley was pleased that his officers left the apartment rather than respond aggressively after he pulled a gun.
"It happened fairly quickly that he produced a firearm and that they retreated out of the apartment," McKinley said. "And I do want to commend them. They did not engage him. They retreated for everybody's safety. They did the right thing: left the apartment, secured the apartment, and let the SWAT team come in and take over."
McKinley also talked about a larger issue facing Apopka and all of the country - opioid abuse.
"Apopka is no different than any other community," he said. "We are a microcosm of society. We encounter the same problems that all society does. Opioid overdoses do affect the city of Apopka. It's a shame. We hope that people get the help that they need. We try to help them if we can when we're on a call for service for them. But there is a bigger picture out there. We do have a drug problem. Society has a drug problem. We need to try to break that cycle and help people."
According to McKinley, the woman involved in the incident is in stable condition.
The APD did not release the names of the two subjects involved in the incident.
