ORLANDO, Fla. – A retired Orlando police officer was shot dead on New Year’s Day, according to the department.
The Orlando Police Department said 64-year-old Dennis Turner was found with a gunshot wound at a home around 7 p.m. on Kozart Street. He was taken to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Recommended Videos
Police believe Turner was shot during a family dispute, based on preliminary information.
Jeffery London, 58, was arrested. Police said London fled the area after the shooting but was found with the help of law enforcement officers in Polk and Highlands counties.
London faces charges of first-degree murder and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Orlando police said Dennis Turner was a 23-year veteran of the agency who retired in 2018.
In 2019, after Turner returned to the department as a reserve officer, he was involved in the high-profile arrests of two elementary school students.
According to the agency, Turner took a 6-year-old girl and 8-year-old boy into custody during separate incidents.
Turner was later fired from his reserve-officer position after the chief determined he violated an agency policy requiring officers to seek supervisor approval before arresting juveniles under the age of 12.
The family of the 6-year-old sued Turner and the Orlando Police Department alleging excessive force, false arrest, and malicious prosecution.
Last year, a federal judge dismissed most of the family’s claims but allowed their lawsuit against Turner to proceed.
The case was stayed in November as Turner sought an appeal of the judge’s ruling, court records show.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.