5 Killed, Including 4 Children, In Orlando Police Standoff

ORLANDO, FL -- A standoff that began when an Orlando Police officer was shot ended nearly 24 hours later with the death of the gunman and four young children.

Orlando Police SWAT team members entered an Orlando apartment Monday, June 11, around 9 p.m. and discovered a tragic end for the four children held hostage by a man following a domestic violence call.

During a press conference, Orlando Police Chief John Mina said the gunman, Gary Wayne Lindsey Jr., 35, was also found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in a closet in the apartment.

“Our hearts go out to the families involved," said Mina.

The children were ages 1, 6, 10 and 11.

The standoff began about 11:45 p.m. Sunday when a woman called police to report she'd been battered at the Westbrook Apartments, 4932 Eaglesmere Drive near Universal Orlando. The woman escaped the second-story apartment and fled to a nearby restaurant on Kirkman Road to call police.

Police arrived and tried to arrest Lindsey, the woman's accused abuser, who was on probation for arson and other charges. However, Lindsey began firing on police, hitting Orlando Police Officer Kevin Valencia.

Mina said Valencia is recovering from surgery at Orlando Regional Medical Center. He is still in critical condition.

He said police have not determined when the children were killed. Two of the children are believed to be Lindsey's and the other two were the children of the domestic violence victim.

Mina said hostage negotiators tried to convince Lindsey to let the children go and give himself up throughout the day to no avail. Then, around 9 p.m., police heard a big boom from the apartment. When they entered, all were dead.

Image via Orlando Police