A suspect is in custody for allegedly shooting a Florida police officer to death early Sunday morning.
The accused suspect shot officer Charles Kondek, 45, near the coastal town's Sponge Docks. When he fled the scene he crashed his white Hyundai sedan into a power pole, police spokesperson Cecilia Barreda said to Bay News 9. The pole snapped and smashed a nearby pickup truck.
Officials told Bay News 9 that Kondek was responding to a call, but no further details were released. After Kondek was shot he was rushed to Florida Hospital North Pinellas, where he later died.
No details were released about the suspect's motive, but several streets surrounding the crime scene were blocked off Sunday morning as police gathered evidence.
After the fatality a neighbor reported hearing about three shots coming from the scene at the time of the crime, according to Bay News 9. Another neighbor reported to the TV station that he saw a man run through the area, knocking on doors.
Kondek, a father of five, was remembered by the Tarpon Springs Police Department Sunday morning in a statement on the department's Facebook page. He served for the department for 17 years.
"A Tarpon Springs Police Officer died in the line of duty yesterday. We are all family with our brothers&sisters in Blue and we are so very saddened. Our thoughts and prayers are with Tarpon Springs Police Department," the statement read.
The shooting comes just one day after two New York City police officers were shot an an apparent retaliation to Eric Garner and Michael Brown's deaths by a police officer.
