TAMPA, Fla. — A suspect who intentionally hit multiple people, killing at least one and injuring multiple police officers, was shot and killed on I-275 when police believed he was going for a weapon, Tampa Police said Monday.
WATCH: Tampa PD releases footage from the incident. Viewer discretion is advised.
There were multiple scenes across South Tampa, including I-275, where northbound lanes between Westshore Boulevard and Armenia were shut down for hours.
The violence began just before 8:30 p.m. near Meadow and MacDill Avenue.
A person called the police to report the suspect, later identified as Jeremiah Bailey, 48, blocking another driver, Eric Archield, 47, as he tried to get into the Dollar General parking lot nearby. The two argued, and eventually, Archield left, but he saw Bailey following him in his car.
Police said Bailey followed Archield to a friend's home near W. Meadow Street and S MacDill Avenue, where he hit Archield with his car. Police said Archield's friend intervened and fired a gun to stop Bailey, who then drove away from the area.
Archield was treated for minor injuries from getting hit by the mirror of Bailey's car.
ABC Action News Reporter Jada Williams talked to the people who live inside that home. Gerald Smith Jr. told us he was in home watching football when it all happened.
"He didn't even have a conversation with the guy. The guy never said anything to him. He just started following him, trailing him through the neighborhoods. Ended up here. Guy got out the car, threw the chair at us. I went in there, got my gun, came back out. He tried to hit me with the car, then he hit my buddy with the car, let off shots, then he stopped, came back, let off some more shots, and that's it," he said.
A few minutes later, Bailey allegedly drove his white Honda north on MacDill Avenue near Interbay Blvd. Witnesses told police Bailey drove his car into a gas station before making a U-turn and driving back onto MacDill Avenue.
Witnesses said Bailey then drove off the road and appeared to intentionally hit Jesse Rickett, 43. Rickett suffered what police described as serious head injuries and was taken to a nearby hospital, where he remains in critical condition.
Police said Bailey then intentionally hit and killed another man, identified as Richard Padilla, 37, who was walking on the 5800 block of Interbay Blvd. Padilla died from his injuries. Officials with MacDill Air Force Base confirmed that Padilla was a U.S. Air Force Airman with the 24th Rapid Deployment Squadron.
Tampa Police said an officer saw Bailey and his car on the 3100 block of Wyoming Avenue. Bailey was removing a bicycle from the trunk of his car when the officer got out of his car and ordered him to stop.
Bailey ignored the order, threw down the bike, got back into his car, and sped away.
As officers searched for Bailey, police said he hit Timothy Harden, 41, while he was crossing the street at West Shore Blvd and Lemon Street. Harden's wife called 911 and said Bailey's car "jumped over the curb and swerved to hit him." Police said Harden wasn't injured despite being hit by the car.
Tampa Police said that at this point, officers saw Bailey's white Honda in the area and began a car chase to stop him. The chase went onto I-275 North, where Tampa Police officers eventually performed a pit maneuver to stop Bailey's car.
Once the vehicle was stopped, police video shows officers yelling at Bailey to show his hands. TPD said that despite the commands, Bailey appeared to be reaching for something in the vehicle.
At that point, officers at the scene fired numerous shots into the car, hitting and killing Bailey. Police said no gun was found on the suspect or in his car as of noon Monday but that officers are conducting searching the areas of travel.
Tampa Police identified seven police officers who fired their guns.
- Officer Algenis Maceo, Hispanic male, 8+ years with Tampa Police
- Officer Jacob Petit, white male, 7+ years with Tampa Police
- Officer Andrew Haase, white male, 5+ years with Tampa Police
- Officer Bryan Velazquez, Hispanic male, 5+ years with Tampa Police
- Officer Erik Lopez, Hispanic male, 4+ years with Tampa Police
- Officer Santiago Alzate-Castro, Hispanic male, 2+ years with Tampa Police
- Officer Nathan Berry, white male, 1 year with Tampa Police
An additional three officers were injured during the crime spree. All have been treated and released from the hospital.
The FDLE will take over the officer-involved shooting portion of the investigation. All of the officers who fired their weapons have been placed on administrative leave. Both actions are standard protocol for an officer-involved shooting.
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