May 25, 2009 12:07 am US/Eastern
Police Officer Stable After Coral Springs Shooting
Two Men Arrested In Connection With The Shooting
CORAL SPRINGS (CBS4) ―
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Jeremiah Derico (left) and Yancy Polk face a number of charges after they allegedly robbed a Coral Springs auto parts store and shot a police officer.
Coral Springs Police Dept./CBS
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Coral Springs Officer Paul Kempinski, 27, was shot multiple times. He's expected to survive.
CBS
A Coral Springs police officer is recovering at North Broward Medical Center after being shot four times during a chase Saturday night.
Paul Kempinski, 27, was wearing body armor when he was shot with a high-powered rifle. Kempinski was responding to a robbery at an auto parts store.
"He's in stable condition, but shocked," Coral Springs Police Chief Duncan Foster said on Sunday.
Police arrested 20-year-old Jeremiah Derico and Yancy Polk in connection with the holdup and shooting. Police identify Polk as the triggerman.
"The suspect engaged officers in another fire fight before getting in the gated community," said Coral Springs Police Officer Joe McHugh
The incident began around 6:45 p.m. Saturday when two men, one armed with an assault rifle, men robbed the Advanced Auto Parts store the 300 block of N. University Drive. A store clerk alerted police who chased the gunmen to an area just west of University Drive and north of Ramblewood Drive, where they crashed their car into the side of a house and took off on foot.
When Kempinski got out of his patrol car to take up the chase he was shot multiple times by the man wielding the assault rifle. The officer was reportedly wearing a bullet proof vest, but the round penetrated it.
After eluding police, Polk, police said, made his way into the exclusive gated community of Maplewood Isle. He blasted his way into the McHugh family home where four people were staying. An 85-year-old grandfather was hit in the head. Polk held the family hostage for several hours.
The Argov family lives just doors away. When they heard the shooting, David Argov said he "locked all the doors and turned off the lights."
They didn't know if they'd be broken into next.
David's mother Sharon told CBS4 News, "It must have been terrifying for the McHugh family."
Richard Cohen who lives across the street heard the gunshots.
"I walked out of my house and I heard gunshots," he said. "It was pow, pow, pow from across the street."
Coral Springs police said Derico of Pompano Beach, was arrested after a short foot chase.
Polk, of North Lauderdale, used the assault rifle to shoot out the windows of a home and took the residents inside hostage including a mother identified as Doreen McHugh and her two children, police said. Polk fired at least one round into a couch, police said.
Around 9 p.m., Polk surrendered to police and released the captive family unharmed.
Jackie Monforte, lives in Maplewood Isle and said she saw one of the suspects being handcuffed on the ground.
"I was scared because I have children," Monforte said.
Derico and Polk have been initially charged with attempted felony murder, armed robbery, wearing a mask during the commission of a crime and aggravated fleeing and eluding. Several more charges are pending.
CBS4's John MacLauchlan contributed to this report.
(© MMIX CBS Television Stations. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. CBS4 news partner The Miami Herald contributed material for this report)
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