Florida Police in Critical Condition, Suspect Dead in Traffic Stop Shooting

A Florida police officer is in critical condition after a typical traffic stop on March 19 turned violent when the driver, Tyliko Maduro, refused to remove his mask and fled the scene, according to CBS 47.

Police did not pursue Maduro then, but they eventually recognized him and tried to catch him early on Sunday morning at his residence. Officers arrived at the Ridgeview Avenue residence around 4:30 a.m. and repeatedly knocked on the door.

Police said they heard a woman inside the residence but continued to knock until they got no response.

The mother was contacted by police, who instructed her to report to the scene. She approached the entrance, unlocked and opened it, but the police did not enter.

It has been stated that Maduro opened fire on the police the moment the door was opened, critically wounding one of them.

The Florida shooting was caught on the bodycam footage.

During a press conference following the incident, Sheriff T.K. Waters said, "The officer is currently in the hospital fighting for his life."

The cop, identified as Malik Duricaud, 25, was conscious and able to communicate with Sheriff Waters throughout their hospital visit.

Maduro used a semi-automatic weapon and eventually shot himself many times inside the home.

The suspect had no prior convictions, and it is still unknown why he shot at the police.

Florida Police Officers Claim They Will Only Speak with the Suspect

Officers did not obtain a warrant, according to Waters, because they did not intend to search the house.

The sole purpose of their visit was to speak with Maduro, the First Coast News reports.

The video reveals Maduro started firing when the officers knocked on the door. Florida police officers did not shoot back, so a SWAT team was sent to get Maduro out.

After the SWAT team arrived, Waters said it was verified that Maduro had shot himself.

Waters admitted that he was unfamiliar with Malik Daricaud before but had heard good things about the young cop.

"I don't know if his career will ever be the same," he said. "If there's going to be a career from now on."

While the Family Dollar on Morse Avenue is now accessible, the police are still at the intersection of Firestone Road and Skylar Jean Drive. Residents are no longer required to shelter in place, but police advise them to do so if they can.

Meanwhile, Maduro's fiancée was irritated that the police arrived at their home so early. He believed someone was breaking in, according to her.

Police frequently go door-to-door at the start or conclusion of their shift, which means early in the morning, according to Waters during the news conference.

Past Florida Shooting Incidents Involving Police Officers

This is the third incident involving a Florida police officer in the city this year, per News Jax.

The first incident was a gunshot barely hitting an officer. In the second incident, a police officer was attacked in front of a Walmart Supercenter.

"It's gotten increasingly dangerous, and I don't know why it seems to be a disconnect between the community and police officers. It seems to have become far more combative," former JSO Lieutenant Jim Crosby said.

Over 60,000 police personnel were assaulted in the line of duty in 2020, an increase from the 2019 total of slightly more than 56,000 attacks reported to the FBI.

It is generally accepted that requests for assistance have the potential to become more severe over time, but Crosby claims he has no idea why the attacks are getting worse. He echoed what Waters had stated earlier at the briefing when he stressed the need to gain the public's trust.

"We're working towards change. We're working hard to show our community that we care about them and we don't tolerate you shooting our police officers," Waters said.

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This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Bert Hoover

WATCH: Sheriff gives update, shows body camera footage after Jacksonville officer was shot - From First Coast News