SAINT PETERSBURG, Fla. – Detectives assigned to the Pinellas County Use of Deadly Force Investigative Task Force are investigating an officer-involved shooting in the City of St. Petersburg.
According to investigators, St. Petersburg Police Detectives assigned to the Special Investigations Unit were attempting to locate 20-year-old Dominque Harris. Harris was wanted on felony Child Abuse charges stemming from an incident in late October 2020. Harris body-slammed a 15-year-old male child during an altercation at an area basketball court.
Through various investigative techniques, St. Petersburg detectives were able to locate Harris at the Food Max convenience store located at 1400 18th Avenue South. Harris parked his vehicle facing the store while a passenger went inside. Uniformed St. Petersburg officers made contact with Harris and positively identified him as the suspect they were seeking.
Investigators say Harris attempted to escape by ramming two law enforcement vehicles, a cement barrier belonging to the convenience store, and a citizen’s vehicle. Having been blocked from escaping, Harris pointed a firearm out of the driver’s side window and began firing at detectives. One St. Petersburg detective suffered a gunshot wound to the lower torso. Several St. Petersburg detectives began firing their weapons while they were being actively fired upon by Harris.
Investigators assigned to the Taskforce say Harris was transported to a local hospital with multiple gunshot wounds and was later pronounced deceased.
The detective who was shot was also transported to a local hospital where he underwent surgery and is currently in stable condition. The identity of that officer will be released to the community once their family has been notified.
A second officer injured during the incident was transported to a local hospital with minor injuries and has been released.
Earlier this year, the Pinellas County Use of Deadly Force Investigative Taskforce was created to ensure the investigations conducted into law enforcement use of deadly force are thorough, complete, and objective. The purpose of this taskforce is to make sure that officer-involved shootings in Pinellas County are investigated by an independent agency and not by the agency involved in the use of deadly force.
The officers involved in this shooting will be placed on paid administrative leave as is standard under St. Petersburg Police Department policy.
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