Tampa Police Officer Fires Gun At Armed Teenager

TAMPA, FL — Authorities are investigating an officer-involved shooting that occurred at 1:30 a.m. Thursday at Nebraska and Linebaugh avenues.

Tampa police were searching for a suspect in an armed robbery and commercial burglaries in the area when an officer drove by a person who matched the description of the suspect on Nebraska Avenue near the intersection of Castle Court East.

The officer performed a U-turn and began to drive toward the person. He saw it wasn't the suspect police were looking for but noticed that the person, who turned out to be a 17-year-old teen, was holding a gun.

The officer, who was in an unmarked police vehicle and was wearing a vest that read "Police" and had a Tampa Police Department Patch on its front, radioed to fellow officers and continued to keep an eye on the teen who took off on a bicycle toward the east side of Nebraska Avenue North and Orchid Avenue.

When the officer caught up with him and attempted to detain the teen, police said he pointed his gun in the officer's direction. The officer fired at the teen, who jumped off his bike and ran north to the intersection of East Linebaugh Avenue and Nebraska Avenue North. There, he dropped the gun and ran to the east where police apprehended him.

The teen was not injured in the shooting.

The officer is 36 years old and has been with the Tampa Police Department since May 2018. The officer has been placed on paid administrative leave while the shooting is investigated.

Police recovered the teen's gun from the scene.

He's been charged with carrying a concealed firearm and minor in possession of a firearm.