RIVERVIEW, Fla. — One suspect is dead and another suspect is in custody after law enforcement attempted to apprehend them during a traffic stop in Riverview on Tuesday.

What You Need To Know

  • One suspect is dead and another suspect is in custody after law enforcement attempted to apprehend them during a traffic stop in Riverview on Tuesday

  • Officers from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office and Tampa Police were involved in the shooting that took place at the Palms at Magnolia Park

  • No officers were injured in the shooting

Tampa Police officers and a Polk County Sheriff’s deputy, working as members of the U.S. Marshals Task Force, were involved in the shooting that took place at the Palms at Magnolia Park, when they attempted to serve a warrant on a “wanted, dangerous suspect,” according to officials with Tampa Police.

Officials said that just before 10 a.m., the U.S. Marshals Task Force was serving a court-authorized arrest warrant on a suspect who is a known member of the Latin Kings with an extensive criminal history, including robbery, aggravated assault and rape.

The suspect was also the primary suspect in a 2009 homicide out of New York, according to Tampa Police, and was wanted for failure to register as a sex offender.

Through investigations, officials determined that the suspect, Don Robert Astor, 39, was in the area, and U.S. Marshals observed the suspect in the passenger seat of a blue Acura RDX.

Officials with the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office said that while attempting to serve the warrant and conduct a vehicle stop, the driver, Angel Torres Vallejo, 19, backed into a Polk County Sheriff's deputy's car in an attempt to elude, and Astor then reached over the driver and fired his gun at the officers. Two members of the Tampa Police Department and one Polk County Sheriff's deputy fired their agency-issued firearms, striking the suspect, authorities said, and Astor was pronounced dead. Torres Vallejo is in custody.

No officers were injured in the shooting.

"Every day, law enforcement officers protect and serve their local communities," said Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw. "The officers who make up the U.S. Marshals Task Force work in partnership to ensure that the most dangerous criminals cannot harm members of our extended community. They are some of the best-trained heroes this region has, and thankfully they will be able to continue their commitment to protect us from some of the nation's most violent offenders."

"Today's incident, where this suspect brazenly fired shots towards law enforcement officers in a reckless attempt to evade arrest, is a stark reminder that our law enforcement community faces dangers on a daily basis," said Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister. "We want to make it clear that we will not tolerate violence towards our officers. Our agency as a whole receives the highest level of training in de-escalation but make no mistake; if you threaten the lives of our community members and our deputies, you will face the consequences."

The two Tampa Police officers that were involved have been placed on administrative leave, officials said, which they said is standard procedure for any officer-involved shooting.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is handling investigation, which is ongoing.