One pedestrian was killed and a number of other pedestrians and officers have been harm by a driver who allegedly drove into individuals in a number of intentional hit-and-runs in Tampa, Florida, Sunday night time, police mentioned.
“Tonight was a tragic night time involving a particularly harmful suspect” who was fatally shot by police, ending the “violent rampage,” Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw mentioned at a information convention.
Tampa Police Officers are injured following a pursuit of a hit-and-run suspect who killed one grownup pedestrian and injured a number of different adults in separate incidents in Tampa, Fla., Jan. 26, 2025.
WFTS
The incidents started simply earlier than 8:30 p.m. when officers responded to a report of a driver blocking somebody’s automobile at a Greenback Basic, Bercaw mentioned.
The 2 drivers argued and finally the sufferer left, the chief mentioned. Then, the sufferer seen the suspect was following him to his home, and the 2 drivers threw objects at one another, Bercaw mentioned.
The suspect then “reversed out, hitting the sufferer with the automobile twice,” the chief mentioned. “Whereas this was occurring, a good friend of the sufferer was firing on the suspect in an try to cease this violent act.”
That first sufferer was listed in steady situation, the chief mentioned.
Visitors digicam footage obtained by WFTs reveals I-275 Northbound, closed for hours after police pursued a person who deliberately hit a number of individuals along with his automobile, Tampa, Fla., Jan. 26, 2025.
WFTS
At 8:33 p.m., the suspect drove his white Honda in circles after which struck and killed a person in an apparently intentional act, police mentioned.
The suspect fled after which struck one other pedestrian, who survived, police mentioned.
At 8:39 p.m., the suspect was seen driving towards pedestrians on a sidewalk, police mentioned. The motive force struck one other man who was hospitalized with critical head accidents however is predicted to be OK, Bercaw mentioned.
At 10:16 p.m., one other name got here in reporting that the motive force deliberately veered into individuals, placing one other particular person, Bercaw mentioned.
Tampa Police Officers are injured following a pursuit of a hit-and-run suspect who killed one grownup pedestrian and injured a number of different adults in separate incidents in Tampa, Fla., Jan. 26, 2025.
WFTS
Police chased the suspect and finally stopped his automobile, Bercaw mentioned.
“The suspect was getting out of the automobile, reaching for what [officers] believed was a weapon, after which photographs have been fired,” Bercaw mentioned. “The suspect didn’t survive.”
Three officers have been injured in that incident; none of their accidents are life-threatening, Bercaw mentioned.
The 47-year-old suspect, whose title was not launched, had an “intensive violent legal historical past” and was launched from jail about two years in the past, the chief mentioned.
“This was a violent night time,” the chief mentioned.
“Our ideas are with the household of the person who was killed,” he added.