ORLANDO, Fla. -- A gunman who shot an Orlando police officer is holding four children hostage in a standoff with law enforcement at an apartment complex near Universal Studios. 

At a news conference Monday afternoon -- some 15 hours after the standoff began -- Police Chief John Mina confirmed the identity of the man inside the home as Gary Lindsey Jr., 35, a convicted felon.

Mina said that Lindsey exchanged gunfire with officers overnight.

Officer Kevin Valencia was struck and rushed to Orlando Regional Medical Center, where he remained in critical condition Monday afternoon.

Mina wouldn't discuss specifically where Valencia was struck but said his injuries are "very severe. He's in critical condition." Valencia is in his 20s and has been with the force for about two years.

A post on Pulse Miami Church's Facebook page asked for prayers for Valencia.

 

 

The incident started at about 11:45 p.m. Sunday at the Westbrook Apartments off Kirkman Road and Florida's Turnpike.

Earlier Monday, police said a woman made a domestic violence call to police. When officers arrived at the scene, she met them away from the apartment and told them that her boyfriend had battered her.

When officers approached the apartment, the man inside, who Mina said was Lindsey, opened fire.

"(The officer) has a very serious and significant injury," Mina said. "He is expected to survive."


Gary Wayne Lindsey Jr. (Volusia County Sheriff's Office)

The children who are being held hostage are 1, 6, 10 and 11 years old, Mina said. Two are thought to be Lindsey's and two are of the woman's, police said. Mina said the children are still thought to be alive.


Orlando Police Chief John Mina on Monday afternoon provides an update on the man barricaded in a Universal Orlando-area apartment for more than 15 hours. (Tony Rojek, staff)

"We implore (him) to release the children unharmed," Mina said.

SWAT officers are at the scene and have made contact with the man several times via phone, though he's hung up a few times, Mina said.

A neighbor who lives on the third floor said she knows the man inside. She said what's going on is out of character of him.

"We've had dinners with this guy and his kids, and it's just like we would never have thought. Whenever you see (him), he's so respectful, says 'hi.' It's hard to believe," Nicole Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez is among those living in the apartment who were forced to evacuate. Some of them are being held at a nearby hotel.

Mina said officers are shaken up by their colleagues' injury. "It's very emotional. We went through this last year with Debra (Clayton). ... But we're receiving so much support from the community."

Domestic violence calls dangerous

According to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, domestic violence calls are the most dangerous calls for police officers.

In 2017, more officers were shot after domestic disturbance calls than any other deadly incident involving guns, the fund says.

FBI data show that from 1988 to 2016, 136 officers died responding to these types of calls.

The next most deadly from that same time period drug were deal arrests gone wrong.

Check back for updates on this developing story.

Spectrum News' Anthony Leone, Greg Angel and Audrea Huff contributed to this story.