Thread: 3rd Florida Police Officer Killed This Month

St. Petersburg police officer shot, killed

'Our hearts are broken'

Updated: Tuesday, 22 Feb 2011, 5:48 PM EST
Published : Tuesday, 22 Feb 2011, 3:51 AM EST

ST. PETERSBURG - The manhunt for a killer continues in St. Petersburg while officers mourn one of their own. It's a sadly familiar scene that began late last night and continues this afternoon.

Officer David Crawford, 46, was shot several times at close range just after 10:30 p.m. He was taken to Bayfront Medical Center but did not survive the injuries.

Police say Officer Crawford and Officer Donald J. Ziglar responded separately to a call regarding a brick-carrying prowler in the Campbell Park neighborhood Monday night. Crawford patrolled the area in his cruiser and spotted the suspect near the southwest corner of the intersection of 2nd Avenue South and 8th Street South.

Moments later, Ziglar reported hearing gunfire and made the dreaded "officer down" call to dispatchers. Officers say Crawford -- who was not wearing a bulletproof vest -- had sustained multiple gunshot wounds fired from close range.

"The officer was on the ground," recalled witness Anthony Ciecalone. "The first officers were just pulling in. Just screaming, yelling: 'Get an ambulance!' It was rough."

The neighborhood was immediately placed on lockdown while K-9 teams tracked the suspect for several blocks, but eventually lost the trail.

Federal, state, and local agencies are massing a command post at Tropicana Field while the manhunt continues for that suspect. He's described only as a slender 5-foot-9 black male in his late teens or early 20s who was last seen wearing a dark-colored hoodie.

"We are concerned about our officers' safety as well as the community's safety because of the suspect's actions last night," Chief Chuck Harmon said at an afternoon press conference. "We are going to use every resource at our disposal in a relentless effort to bring the suspect to justice."

It's the second time in a few weeks that St. Pete's officers have had to balance grief with duty. Just last month, Sergeant Tom Baitinger and Officer Jeffrey Yaslowitz were killed while trying to apprehend a suspect in a standoff.

That suspect, Hydra Lacy Jr., was a violent fugitive sex offender. He was hiding in the attic of a home and fired down on the officers and a federal marshal. The marshal was injured, but survived.

"Our hearts are broken," Mayor Foster said not long after the shooting. "What I ask our community to do tonight, tomorrow, and in the days ahead is to pray for the men and women of the SPPD, pray for the family members of this fallen officer, and pray for the city of St. Petersburg and its fallen residents."

A $100,000 reward has been offered for information leading to the suspect's arrest. Report tips to (727) 893-7780.

http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/dpp/news/l ... urg-022211

again ... if you come to Florida; please, please, please becareful... It is out of control at times down here... it is not the Florida of old

Teen arrested St. Petersburg, Fla., cop's death

TAMARA LUSH, Associated Press
Posted February 22, 2011 at 11:02 p.m.
updated February 22, 2011 at 11:19 p.m.

ST. PETERSBURG — Authorities say a 16-year-old boy will be charged with first-degree murder in the shooting of a St. Petersburg, Fla., police officer.

Police Chief Chuck Harmon says the 16-year-old is in custody and admitted to what happened.

Officer David Crawford was shot Monday night while investigating a report of a prowler in a neighborhood just south of Tropicana Field — where the Tampa Bay Rays play baseball.

Officials say Crawford was shot multiple times at close range. He is the third St. Petersburg officer killed in the line of duty in the past month.

Harmon says it will be up to prosecutors whether to charge the teen as an adult or juvenile.

http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2011/feb ... ops-death/