The Orlando Police Department (OPD) has released the names of the officers involved in a shootout with the Omar Mateen, 29, who attacked Pulse Nightclub on Sunday morning.
The first to engage the shooter was Officer Adam Gruler, a member of OPD since 2001. He was working “extra duty” (working for the nightclub as a police officer; OPD allows off-duty officers to supplement their income with private security work in this way). He exchanged shots with the shooter, who then moved farther into the club.
The other officers and SWAT members who later showed up on the scene were Lieutenant Scott Smith, Sergeant Jeffrey Backhaus, Officer Timothy Stanley, Officer Kevin Easterling, Officer Andrew Bishop, Sergeant James Parker, Detective Raul Rivas, Lieutenant Jonathan Bigelow, Officer Ricardo Duenas and Officer Michael Napolitano, whose Kevlar helmet was hit in the shootout.
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