ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A 23-year-old man has been arrested after firing at police officers in St. Pete while pulled over, officials say.
At about 3:30 p.m. on June 26, two St. Petersburg Police officers were trying to locate 23-year-old Austin Kingos, who had probable cause for his arrest on a misdemeanor charge of violation of injunction for stalking.
According to investigators, Officer Ronald McKenzie and Officer Pavel Kuznetsov arrived at 10790 3rd Street North, saw Kingos in a van and tried to make contact with him. Both officers were in marked cruisers with their emergency lights activated and were in uniform.
Investigators say, as the officers made contact with Kingos they identified themselves and attempted to take Kingos into custody at the driver's side door.
Body cam video shows an ensuing struggle and Kingos pulled a semi-automatic handgun from his waistband and fired at the officers.
Full body cam footage:
Kingos then ran from the car. Officer McKenzie fired his gun at Kingos and both officers initiated a foot pursuit.
The officers continued to verbally challenge Kingos, who eventually dropped his weapon.
Kingos was taken into custody by the officers at 108th Avenue and 4th Street. Once in custody, it was determined that Kingos was shot once in the left leg, the investigation showed.
The officers immediately rendered first aid to Kingos until paramedics arrived. Kingos was taken to a local hospital and his injuries are non-life-threatening. The officers were not injured. Kingos will be taken to the Pinellas County Jail once treated for his injuries and will be charged with one count of Violation of Injunction for Protection and two counts of Attempted Murder on a Law Enforcement Officer.
The officer involved in this shooting will be placed on paid administrative leave as is standard under St. Petersburg Police Department policy.
