A Fort Lauderdale police officer and murder suspect fled carrying a child, cops say
A shooting suspect who ran to a Mercedes while carrying a child over his shoulder turned himself in Wednesday morning, Coral Springs police said.
Fort Lauderdale police said the suspect is a detention officer with their department and former MP with the Army reserve.
Chase Harder, 21, sits in Broward County main jail after being arrested on one count of first-degree murder and one count of written threats to kill or injure. Harder has been placed on administrative leave without pay as the investigation continues.
“The details surrounding these allegations are very difficult to hear and do not reflect the character and professionalism expected of the men and women of our agency,” Fort Lauderdale police Detective Ali Adamson said in an email. “We extend our deepest condolences to those affected by this horrific incident.”
The tumultuous night at the MAA Coral Springs apartments started around 8:30 p.m. Tuesday with multiple 911 calls about shots fired in the 9200 block of Ramblewood Drive.
“One of the callers reported that he heard four gunshots and then observed a white male, later identified as Chase Harder, carrying a child over his shoulder, run to a white Mercedes SUV, and flee the parking lot,” police said.
Police say investigators had a license plate for the Mercedes when they received a call from the child’s father, saying Harder had brought the kid to him. Harder turned himself in at the Coral Springs police station by 12:30 a.m. Wednesday.
Police are still informing the victim’s family members.
Investigators haven’t stated a possible motive in the shooting. Anybody who knows anything about this can reach out to Detective James Kaban at 954-346-1229.
A Dec. 2 Facebook post to the Fort Lauderdale Police Department official account lauds Harder as the department’s first graduate in almost 20 years from Broward College/Institute of Public Safety’s Basic Corrections Academy and received an Academic Excellence Achievement Award.
This story was originally published August 16, 2023 at 11:53 AM.
