Sanibel Policeman Shot In Violent Assault Against Police Nationwide

Bloody Sunday night as police are attacked in three states.

A Sanibel police officer is recovering after someone shot him while he was working a traffic stop Sunday night. He was one of four shot last night in four different attacks against police in Missouri and Texas.

The Florida shooting comes after a 20-year veteran San Antonio, Texas officer was shot and killed earlier in the day and a St. Louis, Missouri officer was shot twice in the face.

The investigation shut down roads on Periwinkle Way and parts of The Dunes neighborhood overnight. Those roads opened back up early Monday morning.

The Sanibel Police Department says their officer was on a traffic stop around 8 p.m. Sunday night on Periwinkle Way when someone drove by and shot at the officer, hitting him in the shoulder. The shooter fled on foot into the Dunes neighborhood where other officers eventually caught up with him.

The shooter and police exchanged gunfire in the 1400 block of Sand Castle Road where the shooter was injured and took off again. Officers say they eventually caught up with him at his home where he surrendered to police. His condition has not been released.

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Those who live in the area near the Dunes were being urged by police to lock their doors and stay away from windows until the suspect was taken into custody.

The officer who was shot was transported to Lee Memorial Hospital where he was treated and released, according to Sanibel police officials.

Meanwhile, the Texas authorities are hunting for the gunman who is accused of killing a detective this weekend while he was writing a traffic ticket to a driver.

Authorities called the attack “targeted,” and likened the shootings to similar ones that took place in Dallas, Texas and Baton Rouge this past July.

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San Antonio official William McManus has identified the deceased as Benjamin Marconi, 50, who was a 20-year veteran of the force. Marconi was close to police headquarters at the time he was shot.

The shooting allegedly unfolded when the suspect pulled up in what police described as a black Mitsubishi Galant with custom rims behind Marconi’s cruiser. The suspect exited his car, walked over to Marconi and opened fire, shooting the detective in the head through the window as he was writing a ticket, according to McManus.

The gunman then reached through the window, and fired a second gunshot at the officer, McManus said. He returned to his vehicle and sped away, fleeing the vicinity of the  station in the Galant.

Police posted an update on Facebook with photos of the suspect, seeking information on his whereabouts. They described him as a black male with a goatee, and possibly tattoos on his left arm.

Jim Williams is the Washington Bureau Chief, Digital Director as well as the Director of Special Projects for Genesis Communications. He is starting his third year as part of the team. This is Williams 40th year in the media business, and in that time he has served in a number of capacities. He is a seven time Emmy Award winning television producer, director, writer and executive. He has developed four regional sports networks, directed over 2,000 live sporting events including basketball, football, baseball hockey, soccer and even polo to name a few sports. Major events include three Olympic Games, two World Cups, two World Series, six NBA Playoffs, four Stanley Cup Playoffs, four NCAA Men’s National Basketball Championship Tournaments (March Madness), two Super Bowl and over a dozen college bowl games. On the entertainment side Williams was involved s and directed over 500 concerts for Showtime, Pay Per View and MTV Networks.