ORLANDO, Fla. — An hours-long manhunt across Central Florida ended Saturday with a suspected gunman getting shot and killed by SWAT team members after barricading himself in a hotel room, according to authorities. The two Orlando police officers he's accused of shooting remain in the hospital.
Orlando Police Chief Eric Smith gave an update on the officers' conditions Monday morning during a back-to-school news conference.
"They're getting stronger. They're getting better. It's gonna be a long road, so it's gonna take a little bit of time, but they're getting there," he said.
According to Smith, Orlando Regional Medical Center has graciously accommodated hundreds of visiting law enforcement officials.
Over the weekend, hospital officials said the officers are expected to fully recover but did not give details on their injuries. Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer also said he met with the officers and their families to share the outpouring of support they've received from the community.
It's this support, according to Chief Smith, that is so important to the Orlando Police Department and departments across the country.
"Our officers go out here every day and put their lives on the line to protect our community and they do it in every community across our country," Smith said during an appearance on "Fox & Friends Weekend" on Sunday. "We just want the community to know that we’re there for them, we support them, but we also need their support...and that’s the one thing the community did."
The Orlando Police Department officers stopped a vehicle around 11 p.m. Friday as part of an investigation of a Miami homicide and were shot by a man in the car, according to police.
After shooting the officers, the man carjacked another vehicle and police pursued but did not immediately catch him, investigators added.
About seven hours later, officers tracked the man down at a Holiday Inn near Universal Orlando Resort and evacuated guests staying at the hotel. The man refused to come out of the hotel room and fired shots at officers who returned fire, the police chief said.
The suspected gunman was identified by authorities as 28-year-old Daton Viel. Viel has an extensive criminal history including charges of sexual battery and molestation, aggravated assault and battery, according to State Attorney Monique Worrell.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.