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GoFundMe started for 2 police officers shot in downtown Orlando

ORLANDO, Fla. — A GoFundMe is raising money for the two Orlando police officers shot downtown on Friday night.

Officials have not identified the officers but said both are continuing to recover from their injuries at Orlando Health.

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“To assist the officer’s families as they relocate to the hospital for an unknown length of time, the Orlando Police Heroes Foundation is raising money to offset those costs so that the families are not burdened financially during these trying times,” GoFundMe organizers said.

Read: Orlando officers shot in the line of duty still recovering at hospital

Officials said both officers underwent emergency surgery following the shooting. While both officers are expected to recover, officials said they have long recoveries ahead of them.

Members of the Fraternal Order of Police, Orlando Lodge 25, founded the Orlando Police Heroes Foundation in 2017 to assist the men and women of the Orlando Police Department.

Watch: What we know about the 2 Orlando police officers shot

Police said the two officers approached Daton Viel near the intersection of West Washington Street and North Garland Avenue around 11 p.m. on Friday because the car he was near was wanted in connection to a homicide case in Miami.

Police said Viel then opened fire, shooting both officers before fleeing the scene.

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Sarah Wilson

Sarah Wilson, WFTV.com

Sarah Wilson joined WFTV Channel 9 in 2018 as a digital producer after working as an award-winning newspaper reporter for nearly a decade in various communities across Central Florida.