DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — A Florida police officer shot in the head in late June died Tuesday, authorities said.
Jason Raynor, a member of the Daytona Beach Police Department, died at 8:09 p.m. EDT in Daytona Beach, WFTV reported. He was 26.
Raynor was shot June 23 at about 9 p.m. EDT. He was responding to a “suspicious incident” in Daytona Beach when he was shot, according to the television station.
Raynor remained in critical condition after his surgery. He died with his family at his side, Daytona Beach Police Chief Jakari Young said in a statement.
“Today is an extremely difficult day for the Daytona Beach Police Department and the City of Daytona Beach,” Young said. “The outpouring of love and support that all of you have shown to our police department and to Officer Raynor’s family since he was severely injured has been nothing short of amazing.
“In His infinite wisdom, God decided that it was time for this courageous young man to guard the gates of Heaven,” Young added. “Even though that wasn’t the outcome that we all hoped for.”
Othal Wallace, 29, the man police said was responsible for the shooting, was captured in DeKalb County, Georgia on June 26, WFTV reported.
Wallace was originally charged with attempted first-degree murder of a law enforcement officer with a firearm in the Circuit Court for Volusia County. That charge is likely to be upgraded after Raynor’s death.
Raynor joined the Daytona Beach Police Department in February 2019, WFTV reported. Young described Raynor as an officer with a “heart of gold.”
Before serving with Daytona Beach police, Raynor was a member of the Port Orange Police Department from October 2016 to February 2019, the television station reported.
Raynor was not married and had no children, according to WFTV.