One of two officers who was shot by a suspect in downtown Orlando on Friday has been released from the hospital, and the Fraternal Order of Police has established a GoFundMe to raise funds for both the victims’ families.
On Tuesday, Orlando Police Department provided a brief update on the status of one of its officers who was shot on Friday, August 4.
According to the update, both officers are “doing well with their recovery,” and one was released from the hospital on Tuesday afternoon.
“They both still have a long road ahead of them,” reads a statement posted to OPD’s social media.
The two officers in question were shot and critically injured late Friday night near the Amway Center. After a multi-hour manhunt, police tracked the suspect, 28-year-old Daton S. Viel, to a Holiday Inn located near Universal Studios.
Viel barricaded himself in one of the hotel rooms and refused to negotiate with authorities before he began firing shots at SWAT team members. He was killed in an exchange of gunfire.
The Orlando Police Heroes Foundation, which is a nonprofit organization, announced this week that it is accepting donations through a GoFundMe established for the two injured Orlando police officers.
“To assist the officer’s families as they relocate to the hospital for an unknown length of time, the Orlando Police Heroes Foundation is raising money to offset those costs so that the families are not burdened financially during these trying times,” reads a statement on the GoFundMe.
The Orlando Police Heroes Foundation was founded in 2017 by members of the Fraternal Order of Police, Orlando Lodge 25, to assist the men and women of the Orlando Police Department.
To make a donation to the two officers and their families, visit the GoFundMe established for the 2 injured Orlando police officers.