SUNRISE, Fla. — Two FBI agents died Tuesday and three others were injured after they were shot while attempting to serve a search warrant in a child exploitation case in South Florida, FBI officials confirmed.
Update 5:43 p.m. ET Feb. 2: President Joe Biden said that his “heart aches” for the two FBI agents who were killed in South Florida.
“I can only imagine how these families are feeling today,” said Biden, who said he tried but was unable to get in contact with the agents’ families. “My heart aches for the families.
“They put their lives on the line and that’s a hell of a price to pay.”
Update 1:55 p.m. ET Feb. 2: White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Tuesday afternoon that President Joe Biden has been briefed on the deadly shooting in Sunrise that claimed the lives of two FBI agents.
“(It’s) obviously a terrible tragedy,” Psaki said at a White House news briefing. “I expect you’ll hear more from the president later this afternoon.”
Update 1:30 p.m. ET Feb. 2: FBI Director Christopher Wray identified the FBI agents killed Tuesday morning while attempting to serve a search warrant in South Florida as Special Agent Daniel Alfin and Special Agent Laura Schwartzenberger.
Two other agents remained in stable condition after being transported to a hospital for treatment of their injuries. A third agent was injured but did not require hospitalization, according to authorities.
“Every day, FBI special agents put themselves in harm’s way to keep the American people safe,” Wray said.
“Special Agent Alfin and Special Agent Schwartzenberger exemplified heroism today in defense of their country. The FBI will always honor their ultimate sacrifice and will be forever grateful for their bravery. We continue to stand by our FBI Family, and the families of these special agents, in the days to come, bringing every resource we can to get through this together.”
Update 11:10 a.m. ET Feb. 2: Officials with the FBI said authorities are investigating an agent-involved shooting that left two agents dead and three others injured.
Officials said the three wounded agents were transported to hospitals and have since been listed in stable condition. Authorities have not released the names of the agents killed in Tuesday morning’s shooting.
The incident began when authorities went to a home at 10100 Reflections Boulevard to execute a federal search warrant connected to an investigation into violent crimes against children, officials said.
The suspect also died Tuesday, according to the FBI.
Update 11 a.m. ET Feb. 2: Officials with the FBI confirmed to The Associated Press that two agents died in the shooting and three others were injured. Earlier Tuesday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said as many as three FBI agents died in the shooting.
“First just want to express our condolences,” DeSantis said at a news conference Tuesday morning. “We had, we believe, three FBI agents that were killed while serving a warrant down in Sunrise, Florida. We’re still getting more information on what happened and we’ll have more to say at a later date.”
Original report: At least two FBI agents were shot Tuesday morning while attempting to serve a warrant in Sunrise, according to multiple reports.
Police told the South Florida Sun Sentinel that two agents were wounded around 6 a.m. while attempting to serve a warrant at 10100 Reflections Boulevard West. The Miami Herald reported a man suspected of possessing child pornography had barricaded himself in the home.
Officials with the Sunrise Police Department asked residents to stay clear of the area, citing a “heavy police presence.”
The Herald reported that at least one FBI agent died as a result of the shooting. Authorities did not immediately confirm the report. An unidentified source told the newspaper that at least five agents had been shot.
Officials continue to investigate.