Child Witnesses Horror: Fugitive Father Shot Dead by Police in Front of Son

A routine attempt to apprehend a fugitive in West Palm Beach, Florida, spiraled into a harrowing tragedy as police shot and killed a wanted man in front of his own seven-year-old son. The heart-wrenching incident unfolded on a Monday afternoon, leaving a child traumatized and an investigation underway into the officers' actions.

The deceased has been identified as Dustin Walter, 30, who was a fugitive with an active warrant for aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.

Detectives from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office had been tracking Walter and located him driving near the intersection of 10th Avenue North and Congress Avenue, accompanied by his young son.

According to authorities, officers attempted to box Walter’s vehicle in, initiating what they hoped would be a swift and safe arrest.

However, Walter allegedly made a desperate and dangerous attempt to escape, accelerating his car directly towards the officers. It was at this critical juncture, with lives reportedly on the line, that officers opened fire to stop the threat.

Walter was fatally struck, dying at the scene. The immediate aftermath was nothing short of horrific for the child who witnessed his father's violent end.

The seven-year-old boy, unharmed physically, was quickly removed from the vehicle and taken into protective custody, undoubtedly carrying a profound psychological burden from the event.

As is standard procedure in officer-involved shootings, the officers involved have been placed on administrative leave while the incident undergoes thorough investigation.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) has taken over the primary investigation, with oversight from the State Attorney’s Office, to determine if the use of force was justified and in line with department policy. The community now awaits the full findings, grappling with the somber reality of a life lost and a child forever changed by a moment of violent conflict.