ORLANDO, Fla. -- One person was killed after two police officers opened fire at an Orlando shopping center Monday afternoon.
- 1 shot dead after 2 Orlando Police officers open fire
- Shooting happened at Colonial Plaza shopping center
- 3 taken into custody; another scene at Dickson Azalea Park
Two women and one man were also taken into custody in the officer-involved shooting at the Colonial Plaza shopping center on East Colonial Drive and Bumby Avenue.
At a news conference, Orlando Police Chief John Mina said a Marshall's security guard flagged down the officers as they were working a traffic crash in the area. The security guard, pointed out the four suspects, telling police they were involved in a crime just committed.
Mina said the officers approached the four, who were in a bronze-colored vehicle, and during the confrontation the officers felt "in fear for their lives," so they opened fire.
“That's what it appears to be, but like I said, it is very early in the investigation. I don’t want to speculate, but it does appear that the officers were in fear for their life, based on the evidence at the scene, some statements and the positioning of the vehicle," said Mina.
At least two women reportedly hopped out of the vehicle and started running into the nearby Langford Park, where they were arrested a short time later. They were later identified as Jocelyn Villot, 32, and Brittany Chandler, 26.
Villot and Chandler are charged with felony murder, grand theft, and resisting officer without violence.
A man was also taken into custody, but it's not yet clear what their role was, Mina said.
Dorthy Sloan was shopping inside Marshall's when she heard the gun fire.
“And then all of a sudden I heard the crack, or the shooting, and it was very scary, and so people said ‘you can’t go out, you can’t go out,’ so I just kind of did shopping, which made me feel better,” Sloan said. “I am just happy we have good policeman, and they are willing to risk their lives for us.”
Police officers cordoned off a second area of investigation, according to Spectrum News 13 anchor Tammie Fields. The second possible scene was near Dickson Azalea Park at Rosearden Drive and Washington Street.
The two officers who fired their weapons have been placed on administrative leave, which is standard procedure, Mina said.
Reporters Erin Murray and Greg Angel contributed to this story.