WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — A person suspected in a mass shooting in central Florida final month was fatally shot by a police officer following an extended chase and a carjacking, authorities mentioned.
The automobile pushed by Alex Greene, 21, ultimately crashed right into a enterprise in Winter Haven. That’s a brief distance from Lakeland, the place 11 folks have been injured within the Jan. 30 shooting, Lakeland Police Chief Sammy Taylor mentioned.
“We’re very assured he was the truth is concerned; to what extent we don’t know but,” Taylor mentioned.
Taylor mentioned detectives had hoped to convey Greene in on an impressive housebreaking warrant to speak to him in regards to the shooting on Jan. 30 in a neighborhood close to downtown Lakeland, about 30 miles east of Tampa.
As investigators from the Lakeland Police Division, the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Florida Division of Regulation Enforcement carried out surveillance, Greene obtained right into a pickup truck and began to drive away, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd mentioned during a information convention.
Lakeland police went in pursuit alongside a closely traveled highway.
Police Capt. Eric Harper was driving an unmarked automobile and tried to cease Greene “in order that we don’t have this pursuit on a really busy highway,” Judd mentioned.
He did a profitable pit maneuver, and Greene obtained out of the automobile and began operating into site visitors.
“Why he and the captain weren’t run over is simply the grace of God, as a result of site visitors was far and wide,” Judd mentioned.
When Greene realized he couldn’t get away, he ran towards a restaurant the place a girl was standing outdoors her automobile with the doorways open, Judd mentioned. The girl noticed Greene, slammed the passenger door and tried to close the motive force’s aspect door.
Greene pushed the girl away and obtained into the automobile, Judd mentioned. Harper approached together with his gun drawn, yelling instructions for Greene to cease and present his fingers, police mentioned in a information launch Tuesday.
“Captain Harper was additionally loudly figuring out himself as a police officer,” in accordance with the discharge.
“The suspect takes off in her automobile, drives towards Capt. Harper, who shoots six occasions,” Judd mentioned. The automobile continues down a highway, weaves via flower beds and crashes right into a constructing.”
Regulation enforcement officers pulled Greene from the automobile and began performing CPR. He was taken to a hospital, the place he was declared useless.
“Nobody else was injured within the pursuit, which we’re all grateful for,” Judd mentioned.
Greene had 10 earlier felony fees courting again to 2013, together with fleeing to elude legislation enforcement, battery on a legislation enforcement officer, possession of weapons and resisting arrest, Judd mentioned. He had an impressive warrant for housebreaking and conspiracy to commit housebreaking.
During a search of the automobile Greene was driving when he initially fled from officers, investigators discovered 28 grams of cocaine, marijuana, a Glock .357 handgun and $2,813 in money, in accordance with a information launch despatched Tuesday. Greene was carrying one other $5,833 in money.
An investigation into the shooting is being dealt with by the area’s Lethal Incident Process Drive.
Two folks have been critically injured within the Jan. 30 shooting, whereas the injuries of the opposite eight victims weren’t thought of life-threatening. The victims have been males ages 20 to 35, police mentioned.
A automobile drove via the neighborhood that afternoon, and suspects opened fireplace from all 4 automobile home windows, police mentioned. Officers didn’t present particulars about some other suspects within the shooting.
