TARPON SPRINGS, Fla. — A community is grief-stricken after a Tarpon Springs police officer was shot and killed in the line of duty early Sunday.
The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office said in a statement that the shooting about 3 a.m. in the Tampa Bay-area city and that the suspect, Marco Parilla Jr., 23, was taken into custody shortly after.
The Tarpon Springs Police Department identified the fallen officer as 45-year-old Charles Kondek, a 17-year veteran of the police department.
Originally from New York, Kondek had previously served on the New York City Police Department for more than five years, authorities said.
Authorities say Kondek responded to a call for service shortly after 2 a.m. Police said Parilla, a transient, shot at the officer and then fled the scene in a vehicle, and crashed into a pole and another vehicle. He was then apprehended by police at that location.
Parilla was arrested and charged with first-degree murder.
“A tragedy caused by a coward, to take the life of a public servant,” said Tarpon Springs Police Chief Robert Kochen.
According to Department of Corrections records, Parilla was released from prison in March after serving for drug charges.
“This guy, this cop killer, felt like a caged rat. He was going back to prison where he belonged,” said the Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri. “He has no reason to do this, to take a police officer’s life.”
Parilla apologized as he was being hauled off to jail.
“I apologize to the family. That was not my intention,” he said.
The Tampa Bay Times reports that Kondek was the father of five children.
Gov. Rick Scott issued a statement on the death of Kondek. It read, in part, "We are saddened by the death of Officer Charles Kondek who was killed in the line of duty early this morning. Ann and I pray that God provides comfort to his loved ones and all those who have been affected by this terrible tragedy."
Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings released a statement regarding Kondek's death and the shooting deaths of two NYPD officers on Saturday.
The statement read, in part, "These incidents may be attributed as collateral damage caused by the dissonance in the national conversation on police-community relations. I urge all Americans and more importantly, our Orange County community, to temper such dialogue."
WFTV
