Donations Pour In For Orlando Police Officer Shot In Standoff

ORLANDO, FL – Expressions of sympathy and donations for medical expenses continue to pour in for an Orlando Police officer who was shot in the head during a domestic violence call that ended in the tragic deaths of four children.

Officer Kevin Valencia was critically injured while responding to a domestic violence call June 10 at the Westbrook Apartments, 4932 Eaglesmere Drive near Universal Orlando. (See related story.)

Valencia was rushed to the Orlando Regional Medical Center in critical condition after being shot by Gary Wayne Lindsey Jr., 35, who barricaded himself inside his apartment with four children after firing at Valencia.

The children's mother, Ciara Lopez, was able to escape from the apartment and alert police that her live-in boyfriend had become physically and verbally abusive toward her. Valencia was among the first police officers to answer her call for help.

Instead of spending Father’s Day with his sons, age 5 years old and 8 months old, on Sunday, June 17, Valencia remained in a coma in the intensive care unit, fighting for his life following a long, difficult surgery, according to Orlando Police Chief John Mina.

Valencia’s shooting was followed by an intense 21-hour standoff between police and Lindsey that ended Monday, June 11, when Lindsey killed himself and all four children, ages 1 to 12. Two were the natural children of Lindsey and Lopez. The older siblings were the children of Lopez and a different father.

Since the shooting, family, friends and a large contingent of fellow police officers, including 14 officers from the Doral Police Department near Miami where Valencia formerly worked, have been holding a 24-hour-a-day vigil at the hospital.

In a press conference, Valencia's wife, Meghan, asked for continued prayers for her husband.

She said she and her husband were each other’s first boyfriend and girlfriend. They were just 12 years old when they met.

“You can’t imagine,” she said, unable to contain her tears. “This person literally means everything to me.”

Valencia told reporters how she was awoken in the middle of the night to the news that her husband had been shot while risking his life to save four children.

“In the middle of the night, officers came to my house and they woke me up and told me that my husband had been shot trying to save some kids,” said Meghan Valencia, surrounded by the police officers who have been her constant support since the shooting. “I am so sorry for those families (referring to the family of the four children who were killed.) I am a mom and I cannot imagine what they’re going through."

Valencia’s trauma surgeon said he remains in critical condition but has shown signs of responsiveness.

“He is fighting every second,” said Meghan Valencia. “He has to wake up … My boys need a daddy and I need my husband and this community needs a real hero.”

The Orlando Police Heroes Foundation, a charitable arm of the Fraternal Order of Police Orlando Lodge 24, has started a GoFundMe account to collect donations to help pay Valencia’s medical expenses as well as help Meghan Valencia and her children with household expenses while he recuperates.

In six days, $132,530 has been donated to the fund for Valencia and his family.

Meghan Valencia said she is aware of the community’s largesse and is grateful.

“I am overwhelmed with gratitude at the support my husband is receiving,” she said. “I could not have imagined so many people gathering to help a wounded hero. I cannot thank you enough for the continued donations to help the long road ahead in what I know will be my husband’s healing process. Thank you so much from the bottom our hearts.”

In the meantime, a GoFundMe account set up to help pay for the funeral expenses of the four children who lost their lives during the standoff has amassed nearly $50,000 to date.

Family friend Walter Benenati said Ciara Lopez is devastated and racked with guilt for leaving behind her children, Irayan Puth, 12; Lillia Pluth, 10; Aidan Lindsey, 6; Dove Lindsey, 1, so she could summon help.

“It is a tragic ending to a night of horror,” said Benenati.

Images via GoFundMe

Meghan Valencia

Kevin Valencia

Irayan and Lillia Pluth and Aidan and Dove Lindsey