Crime & Safety
Man Dies After Struggle With St. Petersburg Police During Welfare Check: PCSO
The death of a man tased by St. Pete police officers is under investigation, the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office said.
ST. PETERSBURG, FL — A 48-year-old man died Saturday after he physically attacked St. Petersburg police officers responding to a request for a welfare check, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.
Officers were called to a home on 5th Street N. just before 11 a.m. after a woman flagged down an officer and said her adult stepson was experiencing a mental health crisis.
Police went to the home and knocked on the door, trying to check on Brian Michael Pepal, 48.
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Pepal came outside and immediately attacked the officers, the sheriff’s office said.
Officers fought with Pepal, taking him to the ground.
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During this altercation, one officer used a Taser on Pepal, WFLA reported.
Once he was in custody, officers discovered that he wasn’t breathing, and began CPR and other lifesaving measures on him.
Pepal was brought to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
“None of the force used by the officers was intentional deadly force. It is currently unknown why Pepal stopped breathing,” the sheriff’s office said.
Pepal had pre-existing medical conditions, the agency added.
His cause of death will be made following an autopsy by the Medical Examiner.
One officer was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries sustained during the physical altercation with Pepal, the sheriff’s office said.
The Pinellas County Use of Deadly Force Investigative Task Force is investigating the incident.
The names of the officers involved won’t be released until 72 hours after the incident, under the new Marsy’s Law, which took effect July 1.
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