Officer behind bars for allegedly shooting at fellow officer

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (WSVN) -- A South Florida police officer charged with the attempted murder of a fellow officer has been in trouble with the law before.

Kristopher Bieger, 30, a Lauderhill Police officer, is behind bars at Broward County Jail after appearing before a judge Monday morning and denied bond. Police arrested him for allegedly firing nearly 10 rounds at another Lauderhill officer, Britanny Skinner, Saturday Night, in an attempt to kill her.

According to investigators, the two worked the same shift, dated and had recently broke up. This is not the first time Bieger has been accused of violence against women. According to the Lauderhill Police Department, internal affairs recently disciplined him for assaulting a woman in another state.

Skinner had yet to register a complaint against Bieger before the shooting. "To my knowledge there have not been any other complaints coming from her in regards to this officer," said Lauderhill Police Captain Constance Stanley.

She also said Skinner honestly believed she might have been killed. "She's pretty shaken up about it," said Stanley.

Surveillance video rolled as authorities swept through a Davie restaurant before apprehending Bieger, Saturday night, soon after the shooting. According to investigators, the suspect went for a slice of pizza after firing several shots at Skinner. Had it not been for the officer's bulletproof vest, she could have been injured or killed, police said.

After the shooting, police said, Bieger drove his pickup truck 16 miles to a Davie pizza shop and ordered two slices.

Surveillance video shows Bieger in a red shirt, talking on the phone, at the front of the restaurant. "He came in, ordered two slices of pizza, and then he went outside and on the phone," said a restaurant worker. "A little bit later, police called and said, 'Lock the door, run in the back, stay away from the windows.'"

Someone used a cell phone camera to record police and SWAT entering the restaurant to apprehend Bieger. "Kill the lights for me," one officer orders.

The SWAT team arrived through a back door and took over the kitchen at the pizza shop. They ordered the lights turned off and got into position. With guns drawn, they rushed through the restaurant to the front where Bieger was pacing back and forth while on the phone.

Skinner was in her police car and in uniform at a plaza along Oakland Park Boulevard when people heard shots. In bond court, Judge John Hurley read from a report that described what happened, "One of the bullets, at least one, went through the seat of the car, went through her police uniform and into her bullet proof vest."

"We heard gunshots," said witness Donato Dileo. "At first, we thought it was somebody hitting the glass. Next thing you know we see the truck driving off by the side."

Police said that was Bieger's truck speeding away.

Alberto Milian, the suspect's attorney, said, "This is very painful for everyone involved, and the family is not in a condition where they want to speak about the case."

Bieger's father, a veteran police officer, attended the court hearing, and said, "We don't really have any comment right now."

As for Bieger's denial of bond, Milian said, "It's standard in these cases, and that's the obligation of the court. Our obligation is to defend against the charges, and that's what we are going to do."

In court, the judge warned Bieger not to make any contact with Skinner. His charges include attempted first degree premeditated murder with a firearm and discharging a firearm from a vehicle.

(Copyright 2011 by Sunbeam Television Corp. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)