Florida officer arrested after armed standoff with SWAT team

A Florida police officer is in jail after an hourslong armed standoff with a sheriff’s office SWAT team, during which he fired shots inside his home, authorities said Thursday.

The episode began with a domestic dispute Wednesday night between Cocoa Police Officer Patrick Kelly and a woman who is also an officer at the same agency, a statement from the police department said.

Deputies from the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office were called to Kelly’s house in Viera, Florida, the statement said, and the SWAT team was called when Kelly refused to come out.

“Officer Kelly was armed and was actively shooting inside of the home,” the Cocoa Police Department statement said. “After several hours, Officer Kelly surrendered without further incident. There were no injuries.”

Kelly is now facing charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon involving domestic violence and discharging a firearm. He remained in jail on no bond Thursday evening, and online court records show he has entered a plea of not guilty.

Kelly was arrested in 2017 for felony domestic violence battery, but he was allowed to stay on the police force after the charges were dropped, the statement said.

Kelly, who has been with the department for 15 years, has been suspended without pay pending termination, the statement said.