Fugitive Killed In Largo Parking Lot: Details Released

LARGO, FL — Six Pinellas County Sheriff’s deputies are out on routine administrative leave one day after an encounter with a man wanted in Hillsborough County took a deadly turn in a Largo WingHouse parking lot.

According to the sheriff’s office, detectives received information that Richard Xavier Summers, 48, of Tarpon Springs was wanted on a failure to appear in court charge out of Hillsborough County. Summers, authorities say, was facing felony fraud charges. He also had prior arrests that included drug trafficking, “and they received information that he was known to carry a firearm,” an email from agency said.

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After finding out Summers was wanted in Hillsborough, detectives from the Pinellas' violent offender warrant unit began an investigation. That investigation led to information “that Summers was gathering money so he could flee the country,” the agency said.

On Thursday, the warrant unit tracked Summers down and found him riding as a passenger in an Uber vehicle, the email noted. Summers was followed to a Wells Fargo Bank where deputies say he cashed a check and then got back into the Uber.

Authorities made a felony traffic stop on the Uber in the parking lot of the 7369 Ulmerton Road WingHouse around 3:30 p.m. April 6. The Uber driver, the email noted, stopped the car and both people in the vehicle were told to place their hands in the air.

“The Uber driver complied with the commands, but Summers did not,” the email said. “Summers made furtive movements inside the front passenger compartment of the vehicle and continued to refuse the commands of detectives.”

Summers, authorities say, then opened the passenger door of the vehicle, got out with a semi-automatic handgun and pointed it at detectives.

“Summers fired the handgun at the detectives, striking the hood of one of the detective’s vehicles,” the email noted.

Lt. Steve Wagner, Sgt. Frank Holloway, Cpl. Kevin Grissinger and detectives Clay Saunders, Jason Willis and Thomas Akin all returned fire.

Summers was pronounced dead at the scene. No deputies were injured, the agency noted.

All six deputies involved in the shooting are on routine leave as the incident remains under investigation.

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Photos courtesy of the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office