ORLANDO, Fla. – A man recklessly sped through the busy nightlife scene in downtown Orlando over Halloween weekend, hitting multiple cars and forcing a police officer to fire his gun in an attempt to stop him, police said.

The suspect, identified as Cliff Francois, 30, faces multiple charges following the chaotic incident. François was supposed to be on probation for a 2014 armed robbery and is currently involved in a separate criminal case from July, according to court documents.

Downtown Orlando was packed for Halloween events at the time of the incident, and police said they first approached Francois in a parking lot after noticing him parked between two spaces. When officers tried to talk to him, Francois sped away, taking the wrong turn onto Pine Street.

Francois crashed into two police vehicles, including an officer’s Ford Explorer that was positioned to block the road and protect pedestrians. Francois also stepped onto the sidewalk, forcing several people to move out of the way, according to the arrest report.

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Jose Torres, an employee at nearby Corona Cigar Company, said the area was filled with people wearing costumes for the Plaza Halloween event. “If you run a car down this street when protesters or people are there, you’re going to catch some lives, so I’m glad they’re keeping it under control,” Torres said.

The chase ended when François crashed into a lamppost, abandoned his car and tried to escape on foot. During the pursuit, a police officer fired his gun but did not hit anyone. Francois was caught, handcuffed and thrown into jail.

This wasn’t François’ first escape from the police. In July, he allegedly led officers on a chase after he was seen driving a car with no license plate and headlights off.

The officer who fired his weapon has been placed on paid administrative leave, per standard protocol, while the Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating the use of force.

Francois remains in custody while the investigation continues.

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