One person is dead after an officer-involved shooting in Plant City, police say.
It happened at the Cynthia Gardens Apartments on Risk St. early Christmas Eve. A caller had dialed 911 to request ambulance response for a person they believed to have shot themself.
When police arrived, an officer saw a white male walking away from a vehicle with the door open and asked him to stop and identify himself.
The officer noticed the man had an unknown object in his hand. He reportedly asked the subject to identify what he was holding, at which point he started backing way from the officer.
After several moments, the man told police he was holding a gun. The officer feared for his safety and drew his service weapon.
The officer ordered the man to drop the gun, and he refused. Police say the man put the gun to his chest and fired a single round. While placing the gun to his chest, the man was very close to another officer who was on scene.
Fearing for the safety of the backup officer, police say the first officer fired two rounds at the man, though it is unknown whether either of those hit the man.
Once fire rescue arrived, they administered first aid, but the attempts were unsuccessful and the man died of his self-inflicted wound at the scene.
No officers were injured and one officer has been placed on paid administrative leave.
The person's name has not been released at this time, and anyone with information is asked to call Plant City PD.
