Man Shot, Killed By Tarpon Springs Cop

TARPON SPRINGS, FL — The fatal Saturday afternoon shooting of a man by a Tarpon Springs Police officer is under investigation by local and state authorities.

According to the Tarpon Springs Police Department, one of its officers was working an off-duty car show in the downtown area around 1:32 p.m. May 6. The officer, an email from the agency said, was approached by attendees who said a suspicious white male was riding a bicycle “wearing an orange jacket with the hood pulled over his head,” the email noted.

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The bicyclist was reportedly in the area of Tarpon and Safford avenues at the time. The officer made contact with the bicyclist and called out over the radio the name and date of birth the man had given him. Police say nothing came back on the name the man provided, leading to the officer to advise “that he gave him a fake name.” The bicyclist then gave the officer another name, which the officer relayed over the radio, the email said.

“Then there was silence, and then the officer came over the radio stating ‘shots fired,’ ‘shots fired,’ ‘shots fired,’” the email said. The officer then said, “he came at me with a knife,’” the agency added.

The bicyclist was taken to a local hospital, but was pronounced dead at 2:26 p.m. The officer was not injured, the agency reported.

Police say there were numerous witnesses to the shooting. The death is now under investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement with assistance from the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office.

Further information, including the name of the officer and the victim are not yet being released.

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