Bodycam footage from the Port St. Lucie Police Department shows officers taking cover behind a patrol vehicle as shots rang out. The video is from Monday night as officers were responding to a home on Lake Park Drive around 6 p.m. for a disturbance. Port St. Lucie Police Chief Leo Niemczyk said a mother had called police, reporting her son was abusing drugs and causing problems. Once on scene, Chief Niemczyk said officers were immediately met with the suspect, 32-year-old Frankie Salvatore Riccio, who was armed with an AK-47 loaded with 762 ammunition.”The officers carefully approached the scene. Sergeant Erik LeVasseur, the leader that he is and a former SWAT operator, was in the lead approaching the residence. Suspect peered around from the garage door and fired at least two shots, immediately striking Sergeant LeVasseur,” Niemczyk said. The chief said Riccio charged out of the garage towards officers who took cover behind a patrol vehicle. “He attempted to flank officers around a patrol car and opened fire on the remaining officers,” Niemczyk said. Officers returned fire, and Riccio died at the scene. Immediately following the incident, Sgt LeVasseur was taken to HCA Florida Lawnwood Medical Center in Fort Pierce after sustaining two gunshot wounds to the face.”Once right beside his nose, and once right below that, appears that he avoided the brain, avoided his spinal cord, avoided any arteries, so he was very lucky in that regard. Definitely some divine intervention was with him last night,” Niemczyk said. At a press conference held early Tuesday morning, Niemczyk told reporters his team is remaining hopeful. “They are very grateful that Sergeant LeVasseur survived to this point and that he’s still alive, and that there is still significant hope, and there’s a lot of relief. That’s really it. Every officer who puts on this uniform every day understands that they could be in this situation, and there’s no promise that we’re going to come home alive at the end of the tour. So, we’re all grateful that we’re all alive and that the Sergeant is alive right now,” he said. According to the most recent update from the PSLPD, as of Tuesday evening, medical officials have placed LeVasseur in a medically induced coma after physicians found the presence of shrapnel in his retina. The PSLPD said plans are being made to transfer LeVasseur to another trauma center equipped to perform the procedure.The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is actively investigating the shooting, which is standard protocol for officer-involved shootings.

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. —

Bodycam footage from the Port St. Lucie Police Department shows officers taking cover behind a patrol vehicle as shots rang out.

The video is from Monday night as officers were responding to a home on Lake Park Drive around 6 p.m. for a disturbance. Port St. Lucie Police Chief Leo Niemczyk said a mother had called police, reporting her son was abusing drugs and causing problems.

Once on scene, Chief Niemczyk said officers were immediately met with the suspect, 32-year-old Frankie Salvatore Riccio, who was armed with an AK-47 loaded with 762 ammunition.

“The officers carefully approached the scene. Sergeant Erik LeVasseur, the leader that he is and a former SWAT operator, was in the lead approaching the residence. Suspect peered around from the garage door and fired at least two shots, immediately striking Sergeant LeVasseur,” Niemczyk said.

The chief said Riccio charged out of the garage towards officers who took cover behind a patrol vehicle.

“He attempted to flank officers around a patrol car and opened fire on the remaining officers,” Niemczyk said.

Officers returned fire, and Riccio died at the scene.

Immediately following the incident, Sgt LeVasseur was taken to HCA Florida Lawnwood Medical Center in Fort Pierce after sustaining two gunshot wounds to the face.

“Once right beside his nose, and once right below that, appears that he avoided the brain, avoided his spinal cord, avoided any arteries, so he was very lucky in that regard. Definitely some divine intervention was with him last night,” Niemczyk said.

At a press conference held early Tuesday morning, Niemczyk told reporters his team is remaining hopeful.

“They are very grateful that Sergeant LeVasseur survived to this point and that he’s still alive, and that there is still significant hope, and there’s a lot of relief. That’s really it. Every officer who puts on this uniform every day understands that they could be in this situation, and there’s no promise that we’re going to come home alive at the end of the tour. So, we’re all grateful that we’re all alive and that the Sergeant is alive right now,” he said.

According to the most recent update from the PSLPD, as of Tuesday evening, medical officials have placed LeVasseur in a medically induced coma after physicians found the presence of shrapnel in his retina. The PSLPD said plans are being made to transfer LeVasseur to another trauma center equipped to perform the procedure.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is actively investigating the shooting, which is standard protocol for officer-involved shootings.