Florida: Police officer Charles Kondek murdered by Marco Parilla
A Tarpon Springs police officer was shot and killed overnight, and then ran over by a man identified as a transient. He has been arrested and now charged with first-degree murder, authorities said.
Marco Antonio Parila Jr
Charles “Charlie K” Kondek was fatally shot sometime after 2 a.m. just blocks away from the popular Tarpon Springs sponge docks. Officer Kondek responded to a noise complaint to find 23-year-old Marco Antonio Parilla Jr., who walked towards the officer and opened fire.
Officer Kondek managed to return fire just before falling to the ground.
According to investigators, Parilla and his female passenger fled and a second shooting occurred, where the shooter, crashed into a power pole and snapped it and then crashed into a pickup truck, Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Cecila Barreda said.
Charles Kondek aka “Charlie K”
Parilla exited the vehicle, ran off, and was apprehended shortly thereafter by a Tarpon Springs police officer.
At a press conference Sunday, Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said Parilla has an extensive criminal record including nearly 30 felony arrests, and 15 misdemeanor arrests. Parilla was released from prison in March.
“His reasoning was because he said he felt like a caged rat,” said Gualtieri. “He should never have been on the streets to begin with.”
Tarpon Springs Chief of Police Robert Kochen remembered Kondek as a person who was committed to his department and the community.
“As chief of police, I hoped I would never face such a day, a day that I would face the public to advice the loss of Tarpon Springs police officer,” Kochen said. “We grieve for the community that lost a hero but with that grieving we have to have resolve, we have to move on, we have to heal. That’s what we do. When one of our own goes down, it doesn’t matter what badge you wear, people come and help.”
Tarpon Springs Mayor David Archie also spoke briefly after Kochen, expressing his condolences to Kondek’s family and the community.
