An officer-involved shooting outside a bank in Orange City, Florida, left a 54-year-old man injured and has sparked an investigation into the incident. The confrontation occurred at approximately 2:45 p.m. on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, outside a Truist Bank branch located on Enterprise Road. The bank is situated in a busy shopping center known as the Crown Centre.
Initial 911 calls reported a suspicious person who was bleeding and stabbing himself with a knife while walking through the parking lot. When Orange City police officers arrived, they encountered 54-year-old Michael Alan Smith of Orange City, who was still armed with a knife and bleeding. Witnesses described Smith stabbing himself and later brandishing a weapon.
According to Acting Police Chief Jerome Miller, officers attempted to de-escalate the situation and gave Smith verbal commands, which he failed to obey. Police say that during the encounter, Smith drew a firearm after initially carrying only a knife, which prompted an officer to open fire. The officer involved had been with the police department for approximately one year.
Michael Alan Smith was shot and sustained injuries from the officer’s gunfire. He was transported to a local hospital for medical treatment. As of Thursday, January 29, police reported that Smith was in stable condition. He had earlier entered the bank after the shooting occurred.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) has taken over the investigation, which is standard procedure for officer-involved shootings. The officer who fired their weapon has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation. Police are asking anyone with information or video footage of the incident to contact the Orange City Police Department.
While the investigation continues, the community grapples with the details of the encounter. The incident underscores the difficult and dangerous situations law enforcement officers can face, particularly involving individuals who may be experiencing a mental health crisis. The police have emphasized that their actions were aimed at preventing Smith from entering the bank while armed, where employees and clients were present.