DAYTONA BEACH, FL — An Ormond Beach police officer was shot in the leg inside AdventHealth Daytona Beach while guarding a suspect accused in an attack on an elderly couple, according to police leaders in Volusia County.
Officials said the officer, Austin Long, was injured when 40-year-old Michael Hightower struggled with officers during an MRI and reached for Long’s holstered gun. Police said Hightower managed to pull the weapon far enough to fire one shot before other officers restrained him.
Long was taken to Halifax Health and is expected to recover fully. Police Chief Robert “Jesse” Godfrey said Long’s family was with him and that he was in good spirits.
Police say suspect fired one round during hospital struggle
Godfrey said the confrontation happened after Hightower was brought to the hospital for medical clearance following his arrest. The chief said officers were with him during an MRI when he began fighting and reached for the officer’s service weapon.
Other officers subdued Hightower before he could gain full control of the gun. No medical staff members and no other officers were hurt, according to police and a statement from AdventHealth.
The hospital said patient, visitor and employee safety remains its top priority and that it is supporting local law enforcement as the investigation continues.
Officer Austin Long was injured while on guard duty
Long has worked for the Ormond Beach Police Department for eight years and serves as a K-9 handler. Godfrey said the officer was shot in the leg during the struggle and quickly received treatment.
Authorities said Long was first taken to Halifax Health and that his condition is expected to improve without lasting complications. The chief described him as alert and in good spirits after the incident.
Police did not say whether Long was alone with Hightower at the moment the shot was fired, but they did say other officers were close enough to intervene immediately.
Sunday confrontation at Daytona College led to arrests and charges
The hospital shooting followed a separate incident Sunday at Daytona College on South Nova Road, where police say a 79-year-old man and a 74-year-old woman arrived around 4:30 p.m. and found signs of trespassing, including a vehicle and items that did not belong there.
Police said the couple contacted family members and later called 911 after confronting Hightower. A 911 recording captured sounds of a crash and a physical struggle in the background, according to officials.
The couple was found injured outside the business. Authorities have not released their names or detailed the extent of their injuries.
Video, crash evidence and Taser use helped officers track Hightower
After the confrontation, police said Hightower fled when his vehicle became disabled. He was arrested about an hour later near Clyde Morris Boulevard and Hand Avenue in Daytona Beach.
Investigators said neighborhood video helped them follow his movements. Police also said he was injured in a crash and had been subdued with a Taser during the arrest.
He was taken to the police department for an interview before being transported to the hospital for medical clearance, which is when the shooting inside AdventHealth later happened.
Attempted felony murder charges and a hospital review now follow
Ormond Beach police charged Hightower with two counts of attempted felony murder in connection with the attack on the elderly couple. Daytona Beach police are investigating the shooting at the hospital.
Daytona Beach Police Chief Jakari Young said he plans to conduct a full review of hospital procedures tied to the incident. AdventHealth said it is working with investigators and directed questions to local authorities.
The case now has two active law-enforcement tracks: the original assault investigation in Ormond Beach and the separate inquiry into how the shooting occurred while Hightower was under guard at the hospital.
