TAMPA, Fla. — A woman is dead and two others are injured after a man with a violent criminal history opened fire Wednesday, according to the Tampa Police Department.
What You Need To Know
- One person is dead and two others are injured in a shooting that occurred in the 10000 block of 23rd Street in Tampa Wednesday afternoon
- The suspect, identified as 42-year-old Michael Banks, was taken into Tampa Police custody
- Police said everyone involved knew one another, but it is unclear what their relationship is
The shooting happened just before 1 p.m. at a home in the 10000 block of 23rd Street in the University area.
Upon arrival, officers said they saw two people running out of the house, screaming for help. They were taken to a hospital.
Police said a man, later identified as 42-year-old Michael Banks, came out and began firing his gun at officers. An officer, who was identified as Darren Gibson, returned fire. Gibson and the other responding officers, though, were able to arrest Banks without anyone else getting hurt.
When authorities went inside the house, they said they found one woman dead.
“This is another stark reminder of the dangers of this profession,” Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw said. “Our officers bravely ran into danger and stopped the threat and prevented anyone else from becoming a victim of the suspect.”
Alysha Maitland, who lives nearby, recorded what she could on her cell phone. She says she saw two women on the street who were bloody and clearly hurt. Then, Maitland heard the gunfire and ran inside her house.
"There was one shot," she said. "You could see the cops were on the side of their cars and they were looking out with the rifles in their hand and the next thing I know, I heard, 'Boom,' and then, 'Boom, boom, boom, boom,' firing back at the guy."
Authorities believe everyone involved knew one another, but their relationship is unclear.
Hillsborough State Attorney Susan Lopez said Banks has a violent criminal history that dates back to the aggravated battery of a pregnant woman in 2006. Then in 2010, he was sentenced to Florida State prison for battery of a person over 65 years old. He is now facing more charges, including first-degree murder.
Lopez said there will also be an investigation, which is protocol, into the officer who opened fire on the suspect.
“This is standard every time there is an officer-involved shooting,” Lopez said.