Fort Lauderdale

Man dies after off-duty police officer shoots him at Fort Lauderdale RV park

Officials identified the man as 49-year-old Damian Orozco

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Police on Thursday identified the man who was shot and killed by an off-duty officer at an RV park in Fort Lauderdale. NBC6’s Lena Salzbank reports

Police on Thursday identified the man who was shot and killed by an off-duty officer at an RV park in Fort Lauderdale.

The shooting happened Wednesday evening at the Yacht Haven Park & Marina Resort at 2323 West State Road 84, according to Fort Lauderdale Police.

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A property manager alerted the off-duty officer, identified as Lt. Jonathan Bohm, of a man inside the property causing a disturbance, police said.

Bohm responded to the scene in his unmarked police car with his emergency lights activated and asked police for backup. He encountered the man, who claimed he had a gun.

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During the encounter, Bohm discharged his weapon, striking the man. Damian Orozco, 49, was transported to the hospital, where he later died.

Police shoot man after disturbance at Fort Lauderdale RV park
A man was hospitalized Wednesday after a Fort Lauderdale Police officer shot him. NBC6's Lena Salzbank reports

Ruth Lenihan said her young sons, ages 10 and 7, witnessed the entire thing.

"My kids could have been caught in the crossfire and could’ve been dead today, so it’s scary," she said. "They saw the man holding his shirt up ... the cop was saying, 'Don’t move any closer or I’m going to shoot you,' and the man moved closer and my son saw him get shot."

Lenihan — who had been staying at the campground for a few weeks — said a woman nearby grabbed her sons and pulled them to safety once she heard the shots.

"A woman grabbed my kids and threw them into a camper, so they called me and I ran up a dock to get them," she said.

Police have not released details on what led up to the shooting.

"The officer made contact with an adult male, then requested other officers to assist with that individual," Fort Lauderdale Police Maj. Patrick Hart said. "At some point, the officer discharged his firearm and requested EMS."

Lenihan and other neighbors said the argument was over power issues.

"He was having an argument with the guy about no power," she said.

Bohm was placed on administrative leave with pay, pending the outcome of the investigation, which is standard protocol after police-involved shootings.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement will lead the investigation.

This is the fourth police-involved shooting in the last six weeks involving Fort Lauderdale Police.

The latest one happened less than two weeks ago at a gas station after police thought a driver — who they were trying to pull over for a traffic stop— got out of a car with what officers thought was a weapon. The suspect later died from his injuries.

On January 9, another man was shot and killed by two Fort Lauderdale Police officers after investigators said he was holding some sort of fire-starting object in his hand.

In December, 22-year-old Jalen Moore was shot and killed outside his home after he held his brother hostage at gunpoint. Police said Moore was told to drop the gun several times, but he ignored officers’ commands.

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