CLEARWATER, FL. – Detectives from the Pinellas County Use of Deadly Force Task Force continue to investigate a fatal deputy-involved shooting.
Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office deputies were called to the 2100 block of Indigo Drive at 3:38 a.m. today after a woman said her former boyfriend was at the front door armed with a gun. She told a 911 operator she was afraid she and her current boyfriend would be killed.
The former boyfriend, Josue Arias, 32, of Tampa, who has a criminal history, broke into the house and made statements that he was not going back to prison. He also said that his life was over and he was going to die. Those comments were heard over an open 911 call.
Sheriff’s deputies who responded began the process of trying to talk to Arias to work out a peaceful solution. The girlfriend was able to run from the house, leaving the other man inside with the armed suspect. At one point, Arias walked out of the house holding a gun to the man’s head. The man fled to safety and Arias went back inside the house. He exited the house a short time later, still armed with the handgun and acting in a threatening manner.
At 4:49 a.m., fearing for the safety of themselves and neighbors in the area, deputies fired, hitting Arias. The suspect was pronounced dead at the scene.
The deputies who fired their weapons were:
Deputy William Byrd, date of hire 4/9/18 Deputy Cameron Frame, date of hire 4/9/18 Deputy Cristian Miller, date of hire 5/29/18 K-9 Deputy Claudio Dimundo, date of hire 1/22/07
The four have been placed on administrative leave by the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, which is standard procedure in a deadly-force incident.
Detectives from the Clearwater Police Department, St. Petersburg Police Department and Pinellas Park Police Department are working together as part of the task force investigating the shooting.
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