Suspect Dies After Police-Involved Shooting In Dover: Police

BRANDON, FL — A man who police say was involved in a Seffner shooting on Thursday has died after he shot at deputies who attempted to arrest him in a Dover parking lot, the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office said.

Nicholas Kocolis, 51, had been involved in an earlier shooting that occurred at 5:30 p.m., when police officers said he shot a driver in a truck on Williams Road. The passenger of the truck was Kocolis's ex-girlfriend, who he forced to drive him away from the area, authorities said.

Shortly after they drove away, she crashed the truck into a water-filled culvert, and then she tried to get away from Kocolis, a police report said.

A person in a truck saw the woman was trying to escape, and allowed her in their vehicle, police said. Kocolis shot at the truck and a bullet struck it, causing the driver to crash on Williams Road.

Police found Kocolis just after midnight at a fast-food restaurant parking lot at 12902 Newsome Road in Dover.

As officials tried to arrest him, Kocolis started shooting at deputies, and in return he was shot by three deputies, said authorities.

“We are extremely thankful that none of our deputies were hit. This very dangerous individual is off the streets, and he will not be able to victimize another person in this community,” said Sheriff Chad Chronister in a news release. “We believe this incident stems from domestic violence. I encourage anyone who may be the victim of abuse to reach out to one of the many resources available in Hillsborough County, such as the Spring of Tampa Bay at 813-247-SAFE (813-247-7233)."

The three HCSO deputies who returned fire during the shooting were Sgt. Jason Roberts, who has been with HCSO since 2003; Deputy Michael Vegeto, who has been with HCSO since 2013 and Deputy Derrick Shea, who has been with HCSO since 2008. None of the three deputies has previously been involved in a deadly use of force incident, said the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.