Investigators say the New Year’s Day shooting appears tied to a family conflict on Kozart Street.
ORLANDO, Fla. — Retired Orlando police officer Dennis Turner died Thursday night after being shot outside a home on Kozart Street, an incident investigators described as a family dispute that turned deadly shortly before 7 p.m., authorities said.
Officials said Turner, who served the city for 23 years and retired in 2018, was found on the ground with a gunshot wound at 6:58 p.m. He was taken to Orlando Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. Police said the suspected gunman, identified as Jeffery London, 58, left the area but was arrested with assistance from Polk and Highlands county agencies. London faces charges of first-degree murder and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
“Preliminary information indicates this incident stemmed from a family dispute,” the department said Friday. Detectives did not release details of the argument or explain how the confrontation escalated to gunfire. Investigators cordoned off part of Kozart Street, interviewed witnesses and searched for video while crime-scene technicians collected evidence under portable lights. No other injuries were reported, and authorities said no additional suspects were being sought.
Turner retired from the department in 2018 after more than two decades as an officer. In 2019, while serving as a reserve officer, he drew attention for arresting two children, ages six and eight, in separate school incidents. He was removed from that reserve post after leaders said he violated policy requiring supervisor approval for arrests of children under 12. A civil case linked to the 2019 arrests remained in the courts last year, but police on Friday focused on the current investigation and declined to discuss past administrative actions.
Police said London was booked after officers tracked him outside Orlando with help from regional partners. As the homicide case moves forward, investigators planned additional interviews and evidence reviews before submitting their findings to prosecutors. Officials did not immediately release information on the firearm recovered or whether officers located shell casings at the scene. The relationship between London and Turner beyond the “family dispute” description was not clarified in initial statements.
Residents on the block described a jarring scene on the first night of the year: emergency lights flashing across single-story homes, yellow tape stretched across driveways and officers knocking on doors seeking doorbell recordings. One neighbor, who declined to give a name, said the street was busy with police “for hours” as investigators circulated and a tow truck idled nearby.
By Friday afternoon, London remained jailed and a first appearance was expected as routine procedure. Detectives said the case is active and that further updates would be released when confirmed by investigators. The department said additional information could include autopsy findings and any charging paperwork once it is filed by prosecutors.
Author note: Last updated January 2, 2026.