Florida police in standoff with active shooter: official

(Reuters) - Police in Panama City, Florida, were engaged in a standoff with an active shooter they believed was barricaded inside an apartment complex at a busy intersection, with multiple shots fired, a city official said.

One person sustained a minor injury, Panama City spokeswoman Caitlin Lawrence said in a phone interview.

“Multiple shots have been fired,” Lawrence said.

Local media reported a large police presence at the complex. Bay County Sheriff’s Office and Panama City Police Department responded to the scene, sheriff’s spokeswoman Ruth Corley said in a phone interview. Panama City Beach Police Department and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission also responded, Lawrence said.

Local media footage showed several officers with weapons drawn taking cover behind cars. What sounded like gunshots could be heard as a local television reporter conducted a live interview with a witness who said he had heard gunfire.

Panama City is located on Florida’s panhandle about 80 miles (129 km) west of Tallahassee.

Reporting by Suzannah Gonzales in Chicago; Editing by Scott Malone and Marguerita Choy