Local

Friends, community mourn loss of officer killed in line of duty

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Channel Nine's Myrt Price spoke with neighbors of the Windermere police officer who was shot and killed Saturday morning.

They said they are upset officer Robert German is gone and that he had a big impact on their community.

“Windermere is in mourning. I know I speak for all of our residents, all of our staff. All of our elected officials,” Windermere Mayor Gary Bruhn said. “We take great pride in our police department and Windermere’s heart is broken.”

Many residents stopped by the police department and dropped off flowers.

Price went to the Lake Mary neighborhood where German grew up.

One neighbor recalled when German was applying for the police department.

“I remember the day that the police department from Windermere came over here. They were actually canvassing the neighborhood for references,” resident Jose Trujillo said.

Trujillo said he couldn’t believe it when he found out German has been gunned down in the line of duty and he was saddened that someone in the prime of his life has everything taken away.

Bruhn said the community will stick together to help German’s family.

“There’s a real hole in our hearts right now. Our hearts go out to the family and anything we can do to comfort them, we will be here,” Bruhn said.