ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — An early Sunday morning hit and run led to one man being shot dead by police in a St. Petersburg home, the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office said.
It all started at 3:48 a.m. Sunday, when St. Petersburg Police were called to a reported hit and run in the area of 13th Avenue North and 50th Street North. Detectives at the scene found the bumper of the suspect's car, which had the license tag still attached.
Police traced the car to a home on the 1200 block of 58th Street North. Officers then tried to make contact with the residence several times, to no avail.
Finally, detectives spoke to the car's owner, who lives at a nursing home. She expressed concern about the well-being of her 63-year-old son, Gus Spanoudis.
According to St. Petersburg Police, officers forced open the door of the home and found Gus Spanoudis in a back bedroom. Detectives claimed Spanoudis made suicidal statements and then pointed a gun at Officer Jace Morrow.
St. Petersburg Police claim Officer Morrow told Spanoudis to drop the gun multiple times before firing at him. Spanoudis was taken to a local hospital by first responders at the scene, but was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gaultieri said detectives with the Pinellas County Use of Deadly Force Investigative Task Force are handling the investigation into the shooting. St. Petersburg Police said, per department policy, Officer Morrow will be placed on no-duty status.
