ATLANTA — An early Tuesday shootout in Sunrise, Florida that took the life of two FBI special agents is being called one of the deadliest in FBI history.
The agents killed worked in the “Crimes Against Children” unit and according to reports were incredibly well respected.
Tuesday night, the FBI confirmed the agents were executing a search warrant on a man suspected of violent crimes against children, including pornography.
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According to officials, the two special agents, Daniel Alfin and Lauren Schwartzenberger were shot and killed while serving a search warrant around six a.m. Tuesday in the town just west of Fort Lauderdale.
The shooter was killed while three other agents injured in the gunfire are recovering.
Channel 2′s Michael Seiden spoke with two retired FBI agents who worked out of the Atlanta Field Office and had served hundreds of warrants over the years. They were absolutely stunned by the tragedy.
Gary Harris, one of those agents, spent 25 years in the bureau. He explained just how dangerous it is to serve a warrant and told Seiden he can remember exactly what it was like serving search warrants much like the one in South Florida.
“It’s always dangerous when you’re serving a search warrant or an arrest warrant. There is no easy one. They are all dangerous,” said Harris.
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Harris told Seiden he was shocked to learn that three other agents were also injured, two of them seriously. He also explained to Seiden that serving a warrant early in the morning happens often.
“A 6am search warrant is not unusual. You prefer people when they’re off guard, resting or maybe asleep,” said Harris.
Vic Hartman spent more than two decades with the bureau, supervising and participating in hundreds of these type of operations. Hartman said it’s important for the public to understand no matter who the suspect is, there’s no such thing as a routine mission.
“These types of subjects are both homicidal and suicidal, which was proved out in today’s events. All suspects aren’t created equal and with elevated risk comes elevated procedures,” said Hartman.
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Investigators have not yet identified the gunman who was found dead at the scene. As of late Tuesday night, reporters in South Florida say their law enforcement sources told them the shooter was armed with an assault rifle and unloaded on the agents after spotting them through a Ring doorbell camera.
According to investigators, two of the injured officers remain in the hospital and are in stable condition. The third injured officer was treated at the scene.
