Man killed in altercation with TPD officer
Police vehicles on the scene at 2424 Tharpe St.(Photo: Michael Shwarz/Democrat)
TPD gives update on Wednesday's officer involved shooting Karl Etters
Update 5:34 p.m.
A burglary suspect died of his injuries Thursday after being shot by a Tallahassee Police Officer.
Jeremy Lett, 28, was shot by TPD officer David Stith, who was responding to reports of a burglary at the Shadow Ridge Apartments on West Tharpe Street around 8 p.m. Wednesday.
After Stith spotted and confronted a man matching the burglary suspect's description, the two men were involved in a physical altercation during which Stith shot Lett, according to TPD spokesman David Northway. The burglary was reported at the complex, but Northway did not know which apartment.
Stith, who was not injured, has been placed on administrative leave with pay following the incident, which is protocol when an officer fires his weapon in the line of duty.
Leon County court records show Lett was a resident of the single-story apartment complex. He did not have a criminal record.
Stith joined TPD in 1999 and since then has had several disciplinary actions brought against him.
He was suspended in February 2012 for 40 hours for violating TPD policies and again in May of that year for 10 hours without pay for his use of force while responding to a domestic battery incident, according to his personnel file.
"Officer Stith used excessive force and failed to document use of force during his response to a possible domestic disturbance," the summary of an internal investigation into the incident says.
Stith was also suspended for 40 hours without pay in December 2013 for entering the Girl Scouts of America office in Tallahassee and acting aggressively and shouting obscenities, according to his personnel file.
Two months earlier, in October 2013, Stith was issued a written reprimand for obscene comments about another officer.
As a result of the shooting, a Leon County grand jury will review the case. TPD will then conduct an internal investigation into whether Stith's actions followed departmental policy.
TPD is working with the county medical examiner and State Attorney Willie Meggs' office to ensure a thorough investigation.
Meggs said he was unsure Thursday if the case would come before the next grand jury session, scheduled for Feb. 26, but his office would be preparing over the next few weeks.
Lett is the fifth suspect killed by a TPD officer in the past year.
On May 12, officers killed 39-year-old robbery suspect Tommy Jackson on Florida State University's campus following a car chase. Less than three weeks later, on May 29, Duane Strong, 18, was killed when he drove his car toward officers outside of a West Tennessee Street nightclub.
TPD officers were also involved in the November shootings of gunman Myron May at FSU's Strozier Library and Curtis Wade Holley, who killed a Leon County Sheriff's Office deputy. In the four previous incidents, the grand jury found that officers were justified in their use of force.
Update 11:08 p.m. Feb. 4
A man was hospitalized Wednesday night after being shot by a Tallahassee Police Department officer responding to a burglary.
Police received a call around 8:00 p.m. of a burglary in progress in the area of 2424 West Tharpe Street near Shadow Ridge Apartments.
An on-duty officer responded to the area and made contact with a male matching the description of the burglary suspect.
The man and the officer got into a physical altercation wherein the officer discharged his weapon, shooting the man, said TPD Spokesman Cleveland Allen.
The extent of the man's injuries and whether he was a resident of the complex are unknown at this time. Allen did not know if the officer has been placed on leave yet as is protocol when officers fire their weapons in the line of duty, but administrative actions are being taken he said.
Officers are continuing to interview witnesses and residents of the complex and more updates are likely Thursday.
10:42 p.m.: One person has been hospitalized after being shot by a TPD officer who was responding to a robbery.
Check back for updates at Tallahassee.com
Original story:Several dozen Tallahassee Police are on scene at an incident at 2424 Tharpe Street. Traffic is moving slowly through the area.
TPD is planning on giving an update soon, but the nature of the incident is unknown at this time.
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