2 women charged in deadly police shooting at Orlando's Colonial Plaza

ORLANDO, Fla. — One accused shoplifter is dead and three others are in custody following an officer-involved shooting in Orlando, police said.

Investigators said they were responding to a crash at about 12:30 p.m. Monday in the Colonial Plaza parking lot at North Bumby Avenue and East Colonial Drive when they were called for a reported shoplifting at a nearby Marshalls department store.

Orlando police Chief John Mina said the officers asked the driver of a gold-colored van to stop and he didn't.

"It does appear that officers were in fear for their life, based on some other evidence at the scene, the statements and the positioning of the vehicle," Mina said. “Two officers confronted the suspects. They were in fear for their lives. Both officers ended up shooting.”

Police arrested two women in connection with the shooting.

Jocelyn M. Villot, 32, and Brittany L. Chandler, 26, were charged with felony murder, grand theft and resisting an officer without violence, Orlando police Sgt. Eduardo Bernal said.

Many people were shopping or eating at the plaza when the shooting happened.

“It was crazy. I got real scared. I thought I was getting shot at. I ducked down,” witness Jessie Jackson said.

After the shots were fired, one of the suspects drove several blocks away to East Washington Street and Celia Lane, where he was found dead in the van, police said.

“(An officer) told him to put the car in park, and (the) next thing you know, (the suspect) took off and (officers) started shooting,” Jackson said.

Police roped off a large section of the plaza parking lot, which prevented shoppers from returning to their vehicles for hours.

Police haven't identified the man who was killed or the man who's in custody.

The officers were uninjured.

Mina hasn't released the names of the officers, who were placed on temporary paid administrative leave, which is typical for police shootings.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating the shooting.

Cox Media Group