Daytona Beach's police chief has promised a full review and raised concerns about how officers and emergency room staff worked together after an Ormond Beach police officer was shot with his own gun inside AdventHealth Daytona Beach early Monday. The suspect, 40-year-old Michael Hightower, was denied bond on Tuesday and faces charges that include attempted first-degree murder of a law enforcement officer.
The officer, Austin Long, was shot in the leg around 3:20 a.m. on September 21 while guarding Hightower, who had been brought to the hospital for a medical evaluation after his arrest. Long is expected to make a full recovery.
Police have not released a motive. The case has renewed attention on a narrow but serious risk inside hospitals: patients who arrive in police custody.
Developing Story Note: This report covers new developments involving the September 21 shooting at AdventHealth Daytona Beach. Information may change as police, prosecutors, and the hospital release additional findings. Details are current as of September 23, 2026.
Charges, Bond, and the Officer's Condition
Police say Hightower was uncuffed for an imaging scan when he began fighting with officers, grabbed Long's holstered gun, and fired a shot that struck the officer in the leg, News 6 reported. Accounts have described the scan as a CT scan and as an MRI.
Long, a K-9 officer and eight-year veteran of the Ormond Beach Police Department, has since been released from the hospital, News 6 reported. "He's in good spirits," Ormond Beach Police Chief Jesse Godfrey said Monday.
Hightower had been arrested on the evening of September 20 in connection with an attack outside Daytona College in Ormond Beach, about 4 miles from the hospital, according to Becker's Hospital Review, which cited a police release. Police say a 74-year-old woman and her 79-year-old husband, who had gone to the college in response to a burglary alarm, were critically injured after Hightower struck the woman with a vehicle and punched and kicked both of them. He faces two counts of attempted felony murder in that case. Police said he worked as a janitor at the college but was not on duty at the time.
A judge denied bond on Tuesday, and officials released body camera video from the arrest, FOX 35 Orlando reported. The charges are allegations and have not been proven in court.
A Police Chief's Questions About the Emergency Room
At a Monday news conference, Daytona Beach Police Chief Jakari Young said his department would conduct a "full review" after his officers raised concerns about how they were treated by AdventHealth's emergency room staff and the doctor on duty. He said he wanted AdventHealth to conduct its own review as well, WFTV reported.
In a follow-up statement Tuesday, Young focused his concern on what he described as a confrontational interaction with a physician. He wrote that "law enforcement does not dictate medical decisions," but argued that the suspect's violent behavior called for closer coordination, according to FOX 35.
Godfrey offered a different view when asked whether anything could have been done differently. He said Hightower needed to be temporarily unrestrained so medical procedures could be performed.
Neither department has released details of the interaction with the physician, and AdventHealth has not publicly described any internal review. In a statement, the health system said the safety of its patients, visitors, and team members "is always our highest priority" and directed questions to local authorities. Daytona Beach police are investigating the shooting, while Ormond Beach police are investigating the attack on the couple.
Guarded Patients and Hospital Gunfire Research
Hospitals routinely treat people in custody, from arrestees who need medical clearance to inmates who need surgery. That care can require removing restraints for scans or procedures, which creates a brief window of risk for officers, staff, and nearby patients.
That risk is documented. A Johns Hopkins study of hospital shootings from 2000 to 2011 found that in 23% of emergency department shootings, the weapon was a gun taken from a security officer.
Hospital shootings have also become more frequent. A Mayo Clinic review in JAMA Network Open published in May found that U.S. hospital-based shootings rose from 6 in 2000 to 34 in 2024, occurring most often at large, urban hospitals in the South. The authors estimated that nearly one-third were potentially preventable with weapons screening, but door screening cannot stop a struggle over a gun an officer is already carrying inside.
Violence short of gunfire is far more common. Health care and social assistance workers accounted for 73% of all nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses caused by violence in 2018, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Staff, Patients, and the Unfinished Review
For patients and visitors at AdventHealth Daytona Beach, police have not described any ongoing threat, and the suspect remains in the Volusia County jail. The hospital has continued to direct inquiries to law enforcement.
The larger questions concern procedure. It is not yet known whether AdventHealth or either police department will change how guarded patients are restrained during imaging, how many officers are assigned to high-risk patients, or how staff and officers share information during treatment.
Health care workers who face threats should report them through their facility's incident system. Patients and visitors who see a weapon or an escalating confrontation should alert staff or security right away and follow instructions.
September 22, 2026: A judge denied Hightower bond, officials released body camera video, and Chief Young issued a follow-up statement.
September 21, 2026: Officer Austin Long was shot in the leg at about 3:20 a.m. at AdventHealth Daytona Beach.
September 20, 2026: Police say Hightower attacked an elderly couple outside Daytona College and was arrested that evening.
The confirmed facts are limited but clear: one officer was wounded, the suspect is in custody, and police leaders are reviewing what happened. The outcome of that review may shape how Volusia County hospitals and police handle the next high-risk patient.
Key Questions Answered
What happened at AdventHealth Daytona Beach? Police say a suspect in custody grabbed an Ormond Beach officer's gun during a struggle around 3:20 a.m. on September 21 and shot the officer in the leg.
Is the officer going to be okay? Officer Austin Long is expected to make a full recovery and has been released from the hospital, according to News 6.
Who is the suspect, and what charges does he face? Michael Hightower, 40, was denied bond. Charges include attempted first-degree murder of a law enforcement officer and two counts of attempted felony murder in a separate attack.
Why was the suspect at the hospital? He was brought in for a medical evaluation after his arrest. Ormond Beach's police chief said he needed to be temporarily unrestrained so medical procedures could be performed.
Has a motive been released? No. Police have not released a motive, and the investigation is ongoing.
Is the hospital safe for patients? Police have not described any ongoing threat, and the suspect remains in custody. AdventHealth says patient, visitor, and staff safety is its highest priority.
Published by Medicaldaily.com
