2 FBI agents dead, 3 wounded during raid over child exploitation case
Law enforcement gather near the scene of a shooting that wounded several FBI agents in Sunrise, Fla., Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2021. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP)
SUNRISE, Florida: Two FBI agents were killed and another three were wounded during an early-morning raid at a Sunrise, Florida home as they were executing a court-ordered search warrant, the FBI said on Tuesday (Feb 2).
Authorities said they were serving a warrant in a child exploitation case. The suspect appeared to be contained inside a unit of an apartment complex, surrounded by law enforcement.
A law enforcement official told The Associated Press that multiple FBI agents were shot while serving the warrant, and that the extent of their injuries was not immediately known. The official could not discuss an ongoing investigation publicly and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.
Acting Attorney General Monty Wilkinson was briefed on the shooting and was closely monitoring the situation on Tuesday, a Justice Department spokesperson said.
The gunfire erupted with about four shots at about 6am, said Julius McLymont, whose house borders the Water Terrace apartment complex.
“Boom boom boom boom,” he said.
He thought it was a car backfiring but about two minutes later he heard another volley of about five shots. He went outside and looked over his fence as police cars and ambulances rushed in. Then he saw officers working on someone lying on the ground, who was then loaded into an ambulance.
A SWAT team appeared next, with officers donning riot gear. Then they went around the building, yelling “go go go”.
McLymont said he could not see the apartment where the shooting happened from his location.
Authorities did not immediately release any information about the suspect, who reportedly remained inside the home, surrounded by officers.
Another large contingent of officers gathered outside a Fort Lauderdale hospital where victims were taken, according to television video.
The Sunrise Police Department tweeted about the heavy police presence and the closure of surrounding roads.
The shooting happened in Water Terrace, a complex of multi-unit homes. Hours later, Sunrise Police urged its residents to remain inside and be patient while law enforcement blocked the entrances to their community.
