A cop barricaded himself inside his Florida home. Then he began shooting, agency says
A Florida cop was arrested after barricading himself in his own home on the Space Coast early Thursday, according to the Cocoa Police Department.
Authorities said that at approximately 10:30 p.m. Wednesday, Brevard County Sheriff’s Office SWAT team and crisis negotiators responded to Officer Pat Kelly’s home in Viera, where he was “involved in a domestic disturbance” with a female Cocoa cop who also lived there.
She reported that Kelly had threatened her with a firearm and was going through an “emotional crisis,” according to Sheriff’s office spokesperson Tod Goodyear.
Officer Kelly was “armed and was actively shooting inside of the home,” said a statement on Facebook.
After several hours, Kelly, 39, surrendered without further incident. There were no injuries.
Charges included aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill and discharging a firearm in public.
“We are saddened by the events of the last 24 hours involving two of our officers,” said the agency, which notes that Kelly, who has been with the department since 2007, was previously arrested back in 2017 for felony domestic violence battery.
In that case, he was accused of choking his girlfriend at her Merritt Island home. The charges were dropped and he was allowed to remain employed.
Due to this most recent incident, Kelly was suspended without pay, pending termination.
“Cocoa Police Officers are held to the highest levels of professional and moral conduct and Officer Kelly’s actions do not represent the men and women of this agency who take pride in their job every day to protect and serve our community,” Cocoa Police Chief Evander Collier IV said.
Kelly remains in Brevard County Jail on no bond.
This story was originally published December 30, 2022 at 12:36 PM.
