7 Pinellas Deputies On Leave After Shooting Injures Woman: Police

ST. PETERSBURG, FL — Seven Pinellas County deputies are on administrative leave after local police say they shot and injured a woman during a chase near Gulf Boulevard.

St. Petersburg Police said the deputies were attempting to conduct a traffic stop on the 65-year-old woman's Toyota after she ran a red light around 1:30 a.m. Tuesday at 113th Street North and Park Boulevard.

The woman was accused of stopping before driving away from the scene. Despite deputies using stop sticks, police said the Toyota and its flat tires continued traveling west before turning north on Gulf.

Indian Shores Police then attempted a traffic stop, and an officer saw the woman waving a gun, police said. The woman was accused of ramming a patrol vehicle as she continued on Gulf Boulevard.

Pinellas deputies hit the Toyota with their vehicle to stop it, St. Petersburg Police said. As deputies ordered the woman out of the car, police said she struck other vehicles as she tried to drive away.

Seven deputies fired their guns and shot the woman, who suffered life-threatening critical injuries, police said. She is in stable condition at Orlando Health Bayfront Hospital, police said.

A deputy who suffered a minor injury during the crash was treated, police said.

Police said the following deputies were put on administrative leave in connection with the shooting:

• Lt. Thomas Montgomery
• K9 Corporal Justin Fineberg
• Corporal Brian Hirshman
• Corporal Tyler Reidy
• Deputy Melanie Leib
• Deputy Kyle Kilian
• Deputy Alberto Ortiz

The shooting is being investigated by the Pinellas County Use of Deadly Force Investigative Task Force.