FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Broward County officials released text messages sent to 911 just before a shootout at a Fort Lauderdale hotel ended with a suspect dead and an officer wounded Thursday morning.
It happened in a room at the Holiday Inn Express at 1500 SE 17th St., in the city’s Harbordale area, according to police.
At 7:37 a.m., police said Karl Chludinsky, 46, of Margate, texted a dispatcher that there was a “murder.”
A dispatcher replied, “what do you mean by murder.”
That went unanswered, along with texts of “Tell me exactly what happened,” “who was murdered” and “is anyone injured or need paramedics?”
A text sent to a different operator says “murder she dead,” with no additional information.
Text logs:
Chludinsky would open fire after officers arrived, wounding an officer. Three Fort Lauderdale police officers shot back, authorities said, killing him.
The officer suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
Neighbors say Chludinsky was going through depression following a recent divorce but said they are still shocked this happened.
“I would’ve never expected anything like this. He was always a sweet man toward us,” a woman said. “Even though he was going through some hard times, you could tell he was trying to push through.”
A Broward County arrest photo from 2019 shows Chludinsky after he was arrested on charges of driving under the influence and drug possession.
Police said a motive for the shooting remains unclear at this time and stressed that there is no threat to the community.
Authorities haven’t identified any of the officers involved; the three who opened fire were placed on standard leave while the Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigates.