A reserve police officer shot a man near Sparkman Wharf, leaving him critically injured and prompting an investigation by authorities
Tampa: A reserve police officer shot a man near Sparkman Wharf on Saturday evening. The incident unfolded just before 7 p.m. when a 38-year-old man approached two reserve officers working traffic enforcement.
According to the police, the man threatened to shoot another officer and then reached for his pocket. In response, a 46-year-old female reserve officer shot him three times.
The man was rushed to the hospital and is currently in critical but stable condition. Interestingly, the officer’s partner, a 58-year-old man, didn’t fire his weapon during the incident.
As of now, the names of the officers and the man who was shot haven’t been released. It’s worth noting that reserve officers are volunteers and usually don’t wear body cameras, which adds a layer of complexity to the investigation.
Police are currently reviewing surveillance footage and talking to witnesses to piece together what happened. Both officers involved started their roles as Tampa police reserves in July 2023 and have previous law enforcement experience.
For now, they’ve been placed on administrative leave while the Florida Department of Law Enforcement looks into the shooting. This story is still developing, so stay tuned for updates.
