‘He was a kind, gentle soul:’ Man fatally shot by police at Winter Park wedding reception

Daniel Patrick Knight, 39, died at hospital, police say

WINTER PARK, Fla. – A man is dead after an altercation with police during a wedding reception at the Winter Park Events Center, according to Winter Park police.

Police said officers responded after 9:30 p.m. Saturday to a call about a man who was assaulting other wedding guests.

“It started inside the event center and ended up outside,” said Lt. Lisa Suepat of the Winter Park Police Department.

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Police said the man, identified Sunday as 39-year-old Daniel Patrick Knight, then began to fight with the responding officer and left the officer unconscious. Backup officers arrived and Knight was shot, according to police.

“The second officer arrived on scene,” Suepat said. “We had an officer on the ground the suspect was approached there was a second physical altercation with the officer and then there was a shooting.”

Knight was transferred to AdventHealth Orlando where he later died from his injuries, police said.

The officers involved in the incident were taken to a nearby hospital, and the officer who shot Knight was placed on administrative duty, according to a news release. The officers have since been released from the hospital.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating, the release said.

The family released the statement below about Knight and the incident.

“He was a kind, gentle soul. His only crime that night was drinking and having a good time with his family. He is not a drinker and works 16-hour shifts nearly everyday to support his family. His niece’s wedding was the first day he was able to come out and celebrate in a long time. This shooting was unjustified and we are working with a lawyer and the FDLE to get the entire truth out.”

This is a developing story, check back with News 6 for the latest updates.


About the Authors:

Penny De La Cruz started working at WKMG-TV in September 2021. Before joining News 6, Penny worked at KSAT 12 in San Antonio, Texas.

Jerry Askin is an Atlanta native who came to News 6 in March 2018 with an extensive background in breaking news.

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