Kissimmee Police Sgt. Sam Howard, 36, who was tragically shot last night in Kissimmee has passed away. He and Officer Matthew Baxter, 27, responded to Palmway and Cypress streets in Kissimmee at 9:27 p.m. after a suspicious person call was received pertaining to an area known for drug activity and were both shot. Both men were taken to Osceola Regional Medical Center in Kissimmee where Officer Baxter died from his gunshot wounds.
Please keep all those affected by this senseless tragedy in your hearts and in your prayers. The men were both beloved fathers and husbands and sons, as Kissimmee Chief O’ Dell has said. They will both me missed greatly by all.
Everett Glenn Miller, 45. Miller has been charged with first-degree murder and will be transported to jail in the fallen officer’s handcuffs, O’Dell said.
O’Dell said detectives were able to identify Miller through video, but did not say how the video was obtained.
“We had a small snippet of video that placed suspect at the scene at the time of the stop. Based on the description received from that, they were able to identify the suspect,” O’Dell said.
As deputies were approaching Miller, who was found at Roscoe’s Bar, Miller reached toward his waistband, the police chief said. O’Dell said deputies tackled him to the ground and secured him while other people were inside the bar. Police said Miller was found with two firearms on him, a 9 mm handgun and a 22 revolver when he was taken into custody.
O’Dell called the deputies’ actions “extremely brave and heroic.”