Sarasota Man Shot, Killed Woman, Then Himself Saturday: SPD

Updated Tuesday at 4:45 p.m.

SARASOTA, FL — Scott Tiati, 52, shot and killed a woman, then turned the gun on himself in front of a patrol officer Saturday evening, Sarasota police said in a news release.

The unnamed patrol officer responded to reports of shots fired in the 2400 block of Bay Street around 6:30 p.m. Witnesses called 911 to report that they heard gun shots and a woman screaming in the area, Chief James Rieser said at a press conference Saturday.

An armed man at the scene, later identified as Tiati, shot and killed a woman and her dog in front of the responding officer, police said.

In response, the officer shot at Tiati, who turned the gun on himself. An autopsy completed Monday by the District 12 Medical Examiner’s Officer concluded that Tiati died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The officer is uninjured and has been placed on administrative leave while the investigation continues.

The victim, whose name is being withheld under Marsy’s Law, knew Tiati and likely encountered him in the 2400 block of Bay Street Saturday evening, police said.

Police continue to investigate the shooting. Anyone with information in the case is asked to call Det. Kim Laster at 941-263-6827 or leave an anonymous top with Crime Stoppers by calling 941-366-TIPS (8477) or online at www.sarasotacrimestoppers.com.

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“Obviously, I’ve been here 29 years. You don’t want anyone hurt, citizens or the officers,” Rieser said Saturday. “I love everybody at the Sarasota Police Department. These are hard-working men and women, both our civilians and our sworn staff. This is a tragedy that occurred tonight.”

The Sarasota Police Department’s last officer-involved shooting happened in April 2018, the Rieser said. The department’s officers aren’t currently equipped with cameras, but it will launch a body-worn camera program later this year.