Sheriff: Apology by officer's killer 'bunch of nonsense, In a memorial set up after a man fatally shot and ran over him, Officer Charles "Charlie K" Kondek has been labeled a hero.
At a late-night news conference Sunday, Pinella County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri called the suspect a coward and said his apology to Kondek's family is "a bunch of nonsense."
The Tarpon Springs Police Department said Marco Antonio Parilla Jr., 23, shot and killed Kondek earlier Sunday when Kondek responded to a call regarding a noise complaint about 2 a.m.
Investigators say Parilla was banging on doors in the community about 25 miles northwest of Tampa, looking for a neighbor who he said "dimed him out" to police.As he was escorted to jail, Parilla told media outlets, "I apologize to the family" of the officer. "That was not my intention."
Gualtieri said Parilla's reason for shooting Kondek, that he "felt like a caged rat," and didn't want to go back to prison, was not acceptable.There's absolutely no excuse," Gualtieri said. "I don't care what he told you when he walked into the jail, it is all a bunch of nonsense."
Police say Parilla and a woman arrived at a home on Grand Boulevard. While Parilla was banging on doors, a neighbor asked the woman, who remained in the car, to lower the music in the car. When she refused, the neighbor called 911 with a noise complaint. Detectives said the woman then began to back out of the driveway.
Kondek arrived and exited his vehicle. Detectives said Parilla walked toward him and opened fire, striking him once above his bullet-proof vest. Kondek managed to return fire just before falling to the ground.
Parilla ordered the woman out of the vehicle, took the wheel and as he fled the scene, ran over Kondek. Parilla fled in the vehicle. Tarpon Springs Police engaged in a brief pursuit before Parilla crashed into a pole and then into a parked vehicle.Parilla fled on foot and was apprehended short time later.
Kondek was taken to a hospital where he later died from his injuries.
Born in 1991, Parilla has had 30 felony arrests and over 10 convictions. He had been released from prison less than a year ago.
According to the Florida Department of Corrections, Parilla served more than two years in prison for several offenses, including drug charges, and was released in March. He was listed as a fugitive for violating his probation. It wasn't immediately clear what the violation was.
"We don't have a perfect system but we have the best in the world. It certainly isn't perfect," Gualtieri said.
Kondek served the city of Tarpon Springs as a sworn law enforcement officer for 17 years, many of which were on the midnight shift. Originally from New York, he previously served for more than five years as a New York City police officer before moving to Florida.
In a statement released Sunday, Florida Gov. Rick Scott said, "We are saddened by the death of Officer Charles Kondek who was killed in the line of duty early this morning. Ann and I pray that God provides comfort to his loved ones and all those who have been affected by this terrible tragedy."
