Police: Daytona Beach police officer shot after confronting man with rifle

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — A Daytona Beach police officer was shot late Sunday after police said he and other officers responded to a call of a suspicious person with a rifle.

Police said officer Kevin Hird was shot in the right arm during a confrontation with the suspect. The suspect, who police identified as 40-year-old Raymond Roberts, was uninjured.

According to police, Roberts has an extensive criminal record including being arrested in Volusia County at least 16 times since 2004.

"He's a convicted felon, a typical street maggot out here committing crimes shooting randomly especially at police officers," Police Chief Craig Capri said.

According to police records, Roberts was arrested last month after threatening to kill someone, and in March he was involved in a SWAT standoff.

Police said Roberts was arrested minutes after the shooting. He's now facing more than 20 charges, including three counts of attempted murder.

Police said the shooting happened near the intersection of Martin Luther King Boulevard and South Street just before 11 p.m. Sunday.

Body camera video shows deputies racing to the scene after Hird was shot.

Deputies came up behind the suspected gunman and sprinted out of their cruisers before pinning him to the ground.

Roberts could be heard screaming, “What are you all trying to do? Kill me, man?”

A deputy responded with, “Shut the (expletive) up. You tried to kill a cop. Are you serious?”

Nearby citizens ran over and applied pressure to officer Hird's arm until he was transported to the hospital, police said.

Capri said Hird is in good spirits and expected to make a full recovery.

Cox Media Group