Fort Lauderdale, Florida — On Thursday, March 21, 2024, just after 7:30 a.m., a caller reported that he had killed someone inside of a hotel room at the Holiday Inn Express at 1500 SE 17th St., according to police. The suspect, later identified as 44-year-old Karl Chludinsky of Margate, later mentioned his wife was being sexually assaulted and that he would kill anyone who approached his room. The body camera video shows multiple Fort Lauderdale Police officers in tactical gear approaching the hotel room door with rifles and handguns drawn.

“Hands up, Hands up! Let me see your hands!” said responding officers. Chludinsky is then seen opening the door, with a cellphone in one hand and a firearm pointed at officers in the other. Officers are then seen exchanging gunfire with Chludinsky. A few moments pass before Chludinsky opens fire from inside the room through the door and officers return fire. During the gunfire, FLPD Officer Jack DiCristofalo was struck. DiCristofalo was taken to a local hospital and later released. SWAT members responded to the hotel to enter the room where they found Chludinsky dead. No one else was inside the room. FLPD Officer Pascal France suffered minor injuries unrelated to gunfire and was treated at the scene.