Largo Police Shoot Armed Man; Wounds Not Life-Threatening: Update

LARGO, FL — A man is being treated for gunshot wounds at a hospital after being shot by Largo police officers.

Around 9:50 p.m. Saturday, police were called to a domestic disturbance on 144th Lane North. According to police, James Roesler, 58, showed up at the home of his ex-girlfriend and was damaging her car and getting into fights with her neighbors.

While on route to the scene, the dispatcher told police that a witness heard a gunshot and that the Roesler may be armed.

When police arrived, they found Roesler armed with a .308-caliber rifle.

Officers identified themselves as police officers and ordered Roesler to drop the weapon. Roesler told officers that he would not drop the weapon, and pointed the rifle at the three officers who fired their weapons, striking Roesler.

Roesler was transported to Bayfront Health and is in stable condition. He told investigators, "What I did was stupid" and "the officers did what they had to do."

He's been charged with aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, battery on a person 65 years of age or older and felony criminal mischief

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating the shooting because officers were involved. Those involved in the shooting are Officer Ryan Kennedy, Officer David Neverline and Officer Thomas Dziamba.

Two Largo officers, Charles Flowers and Neritan Hisa, were involved in a crash while responding to this incident and were taken to a local hospital as a precaution.