A Florida sheriff's deputy who came out of retirement to make money for trips to Disney World with his granddaughter was killed in the line of duty Tuesday morning.
Witnessessay 64-year-old deputy Bill Myers was delivering a domestic violence injunction outside an attorney's office to Joel Dixon Smith. The injunction would force Smith to give up his firearms. Smith reportedly drew a gun and shot Myers several times before fleeing to a hotel.
Police reportedly fired tear gas into the hotel room Smith had barricaded himself in. When Smith came out holding a gun, he was shot and killed by police.
"He's a coward. He was fearful –– fearful of going to jail, fearful of losing his firearms, he was fearful of everything," the county sheriff said at a press conference. (Video via WJHG)
Deputy Myers was taken to a hospital for surgery but died hours later.
"He was retired. He came back and worked part-time serving civil process to earn a little extra spending money to take his granddaughter to Disney World," the county sheriff said at a press conference. (Video via Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office)
The Pensacola News Journal reports Myers is the fourth officer in his department to be killed since 2008.
