2 FBI Agents Killed, Suspect Dead, 3 Others Wounded In Shooting

Updated at 2:05 p.m.

SUNRISE, FL — Two FBI agents were fatally shot and three others were wounded Tuesday morning while serving a federal search warrant in a case involving violent crimes against children, according to the agency. A suspect in the standoff is also dead.

The shooting, which occurred around 6 a.m., forced nearby residents to huddle inside their homes as shots rang out and SWAT teams stormed the apartment building in a middle-class neighborhood west of Fort Lauderdale, according to the FBI.

The standoff with the suspect marked one of the bloodiest days in FBI history in South Florida and among the deadliest nationally as well, according to the FBI website.

Special Agent Daniel Alfin and Special Agent Laura Schwartzenberger were shot and killed in the line of duty, FBI Director Christopher Wray said in a news release. Three other agents were shot and wounded; two suffered injuries requiring hospital care, but both are in stable condition. The third injured agent did not require hospitalization.

Authorities have not released the names of the wounded agents or the dead suspect.

“Tragically, the FBI lost two of our own today," Wray said. "Every day, FBI special agents put themselves in harm’s way to keep the American people safe.

"Special Agent Alfin and Special Agent Schwartzenberger exemplified heroism today in defense of their country. The FBI will always honor their ultimate sacrifice and will be forever grateful for their bravery. We continue to stand by our FBI family, and the families of these special agents, in the days to come, bringing every resource we can to get through this together.”

As required by FBI policy, the shootings are under investigation by the FBI’s Inspection Division. The agency said no further information will be released while the incident is reviewed.

Hours after the standoff ended, Sunrise police urged residents of Water Terrace to remain inside their homes while law enforcement blocked the entrances to their community.

A large group of officers had gathered outside a Fort Lauderdale hospital where victims were taken, The Associated Press reported, citing television video.

Alex Piquero, a University of Miami sociology professor who has specialized in criminology, told The AP that serving search warrants at a person's home is incredibly hazardous for law enforcement officers.

“Serving warrants, next to domestic dispute calls and high-speed chases, are among the most dangerous for law enforcement — they don’t know what awaits them on the inside,” Piquero said.

There have been several other shootings throughout the FBI's history in which two agents have died, according to the bureau's Wall of Honor.

In South Florida, the infamous “Miami Shootout” in 1986 claimed the lives of Agents Ben Grogan and Jerry Dove in a gun battle with two heavily armed robbery suspects who were also killed. Five other FBI agents were wounded in that shooting, which led the bureau to upgrade the weapons that agents carry.

The Associated Press contributed reporting.