Florida Officer Shot at Easter Celebration
"As officers and deputies attempted to intervene, gunshots were fired, and one Lake City Police Department officer was struck by gunfire," police said in an update Sunday night.
A Lake City, Florida, Police was shot during an Easter celebration at the Annie Mattox Recreation Center Sunday night, authorities said.
Police said around 8:06 p.m., officers from multiple agencies were providing crowd control at an annual community Easter celebration, which is often attended by thousands of people, FirstCoastNews reports.
During the event, police said an altercation occurred between several people.
"As officers and deputies attempted to intervene, gunshots were fired, and one Lake City Police Department officer was struck by gunfire," police said in an update Sunday night.
In an update Monday morning, the police department said Officer Marcus Hardison, who has been with the department for four and a half years, is the officer who was shot. He was shot in his right arm and was taken to a hospital in Gainesville for treatment.
Three people were taken into custody at the scene and are being interviewed by investigators to determine their involvement, police said.
Lake City police said the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, Florida Highway Patrol, Lake City Fire Department and Columbia County Emergency Medical Services assisted with the incident.
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