BBQ fundraiser raises $12,000 for fallen Kissimmee officers

Community comes together after Officer Baxter, Sgt. Howard were killed

KISSIMMEE, Fla. – One week after two Kissimmee police officers were slain, the community came together for a barbecue fundraiser that garnered more than $12,000 for the fallen officers' families Friday afternoon.

Hosted by Vinny Barber, owner of Jimmy Bear's BBQ, the fundraiser offered lunches to officers and the community for free, asking only for donations.

"It's part of our civic responsibility," Barber said, holding back tears. "These guys are getting shot at, nobody is saying, 'Thank you, officer, for writing me a ticket.' They have the most thankless job in the world sometimes and it's just, I just want to share the joy that I get and make them know that people appreciate them and love them."

Outside the Kissimmee Police Department, spokeswoman Stacie Miller said one week later, the investigation continues. Detectives still need anyone who witnessed the shooting deaths of Officer Matthew Baxter and Sgt. Sam Howard to come forward.

"We are looking for somebody who may have witnessed or know somebody who witnessed the actual shooting. That is one piece we would like to have of this puzzle," Miller said.

Miller, however, would not elaborate on the new information dropped by Chief Jeff O'Dell at the officers' funeral Thursday.

"I want to be very clear to the families of each, we have reviewed the fact of this incident through our investigation and neither of these men did anything wrong," O'Dell said in front of thousands of mourners. "In fact it was because of their actions to ensure one person present was cleared from harm's way that actually set off this horrific chain of events."

The chief said his officers died as heroes, saving a woman's life.

However, Miller on Friday would not clarify what happened, how the woman was in harm's way, and what the officers did to save her.

"The chief is the chief. He is the leader of the agency and he can say whatever he wants to say but me as the public information officer, I have to go with what the detectives say and we have an ongoing investigation so we can't release any information on that," she said, adding those details could hinder the ongoing investigation. "We are not backing down and we are going to make sure our heroes are honored and this accused being prosecuted to the fullest."


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