Man arrested after Florida police officer killed

A veteran Florida police officer was shot and killed while on duty early Sunday.

Officer Charles Kondek (45) fatally wounded in Tarpon Springs, about 50km northwest of Tampa, after responding to a call for service at about 2am local time (7am GMT), the Tarpon Springs Police Department said.

The officer later died of his injuries at a local hospital, the police department said.

His death followed a Saturday afternoon shooting in New York City, where a gunman shot dead two police officers and then killed himself. Authorities said that shooter had indicated on social media that he might seek revenge for recent US police killings of unarmed black men.

In the Florida case, a suspect was taken into custody after fleeing the shooting scene and crashing into a pole and another vehicle, the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office said in a release.

Police officials did not identify the suspect or give any information about the type of call Officer Kondek had responded to ahead of the shooting.

Officer Kondek served on the Tarpon Springs police force for more than 17 years and previously worked as an officer for the New York City Police Department, officials said.

Reuters