Post by Rinconrolla on Jun 30, 2010 11:14:57 GMT -5
TAMPA - Two Tampa police officers died after they were shot during an otherwise routine traffic stop early Tuesday morning.
The shooting happened at 50th Street and 34th Avenue at 2:15 a.m. Tuesday. Police are questioning a person of interest in the case as they conduct a massive search for the suspected gunman.
Officer Jeff Kocab, 31, passed away shortly after he was brought to Tampa General Hospital. Officer Dave Curtis, also 31, was put on life support and pronounced dead around 8:30 a.m. at TGH.
Mayor Pam Iorio said Officer Kocab leaves behind a wife who is nine months pregnant. Kocab had only been with Tampa police for 14 months and previously worked for the Plant City Police Department.
Officer Dave Curtis had been with the department for almost four years. He previously worked as a detention deputy with the Hillsborough Sheriff's Office. He has a wife and four boys between the ages of 8 months and 9 years old, the mayor said.
Police told FOX 13 that Curtis' family will be donating his organs.
Chief Castor and Mayor Iorio were very emotional during two brief news conferences, held outside TGH to announce the deaths of the officers.
"It's a very tragic time for the Tampa Police Department family," the chief said. "We appreciate everyone's prayers and concerns at this time."
The officers' families were at the hospital along with numerous members of the Tampa Police Department.
"It's just a tragedy, there's no other way to describe it," Chief Castor added. "Our hearts are broken."
Mayor Iorio echoed her sentiments and said the families of the fallen officers were very brave.
"They have both said to me how much Dave and Jeff loved being a Tampa police officer," Iorio said. "They both have made a point of that. They both have said, both families, that their loved one loved going to work every day, that they loved being a Tampa police officer, that it was the best job in the world."
Police initially identified two persons of interest, 24-year-old Dontae Morris and 22-year-old Cortnee Brantley. Investigators believe Brantley was the driver of the car and Morris, the gunman, was her passenger.
Officer Curtis stopped the car, a 1994 Toyota Camry, and called Officer Kocab for backup. Police received a 911 call shortly after 2:15 a.m. from a person driving by the scene, reporting that the officers were shot, Tampa police spokesperson Laura McElroy said.
Police responding to the 911 call immediately began CPR. Officer Kocab was pronounced dead shortly after he arrived at TGH, according to McElroy.
Several people stopped and left flowers Tuesday morning at the TPD memorial in downtown Tampa.
"To have two Tampa police officer shot, less than a year after losing Corporal Mike Roberts, is absolutely devastating to our department," McElroy said earlier Tuesday. "We are still grieving the loss of Mike, and to now be at a scene with two Tampa police officers shot, it's really beyond description and all of our energy, all of our resources, all of our efforts right now are to catch these two individuals who have attempted to take the life of two Tampa police officers."
Cpl. Mike Roberts was shot and killed last August when he approached a suspicious man pushing a shopping cart, which turned out to be holding several weapons.
Attorney General Bill McCollum released a statement Tuesday morning, saying his "thoughts and prayers are with the families of Tampa Police Officers Jeff Kocab and Dave Curtis and the entire Tampa Police Department as they grieve the loss of two exceptional public servants just eleven months after the loss of Corporal Mike Roberts, another fine Tampa police officer killed in the line of duty ... "
Tuesday's shooting comes less than a week after two Polk County deputies were shot and injured while questioning a suspect in a Lakeland neighborhood. The suspect, 21-year-old Matthew Tutt, shot at the deputies and was killed by their return fire. Both deputies are recovering from their injuries.
There is an ongoing search for Morris, the suspect who now faces murder charges. Hillsborough deputies are aiding police, as helicopters, K-9 units, and foot crews are in use in the area of the shooting.
Shortly before 1 p.m., police said Brantley had been located at an apartment complex near the shooting scene, and the vehicle the fallen officers stopped was also found there.
Police confirmed that Morris had a minor arrest warrant in Jacksonville for a bad check.
They described him as a black male, about 5 feet 10 inches tall, wearing brown shorts, a white tee shirt, black vest and white shoes.
Anyone who may have been in the area at the time of the shooting or knows where the suspects may be is asked to call Tampa police at (813) 231-6130 or the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.
The FBI and Crime Stoppers of Tampa Bay is offering up to a $75,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and indictment of those responsible for killing Officer Kocab and Curtis. Information can be called in to 1-800-873-TIPS (8477), reported anonymously online at www.crimestopperstb.com or text "CSTB" plus your tip to C-R-I-M-E-S (274637).
If you would like to make monetary donation to help the families of the fallen officers, TPD asks for checks to be made payable to the Curtis/Kocab Memorial Fund and sent in care of the Tampa Police Memorial Committee, P.O. Box 172995, Tampa, FL 33672. Donations can also be made in person at any Tampa Bay Federal Credit Union location
The shooting happened at 50th Street and 34th Avenue at 2:15 a.m. Tuesday. Police are questioning a person of interest in the case as they conduct a massive search for the suspected gunman.
Officer Jeff Kocab, 31, passed away shortly after he was brought to Tampa General Hospital. Officer Dave Curtis, also 31, was put on life support and pronounced dead around 8:30 a.m. at TGH.
Mayor Pam Iorio said Officer Kocab leaves behind a wife who is nine months pregnant. Kocab had only been with Tampa police for 14 months and previously worked for the Plant City Police Department.
Officer Dave Curtis had been with the department for almost four years. He previously worked as a detention deputy with the Hillsborough Sheriff's Office. He has a wife and four boys between the ages of 8 months and 9 years old, the mayor said.
Police told FOX 13 that Curtis' family will be donating his organs.
Chief Castor and Mayor Iorio were very emotional during two brief news conferences, held outside TGH to announce the deaths of the officers.
"It's a very tragic time for the Tampa Police Department family," the chief said. "We appreciate everyone's prayers and concerns at this time."
The officers' families were at the hospital along with numerous members of the Tampa Police Department.
"It's just a tragedy, there's no other way to describe it," Chief Castor added. "Our hearts are broken."
Mayor Iorio echoed her sentiments and said the families of the fallen officers were very brave.
"They have both said to me how much Dave and Jeff loved being a Tampa police officer," Iorio said. "They both have made a point of that. They both have said, both families, that their loved one loved going to work every day, that they loved being a Tampa police officer, that it was the best job in the world."
Police initially identified two persons of interest, 24-year-old Dontae Morris and 22-year-old Cortnee Brantley. Investigators believe Brantley was the driver of the car and Morris, the gunman, was her passenger.
Officer Curtis stopped the car, a 1994 Toyota Camry, and called Officer Kocab for backup. Police received a 911 call shortly after 2:15 a.m. from a person driving by the scene, reporting that the officers were shot, Tampa police spokesperson Laura McElroy said.
Police responding to the 911 call immediately began CPR. Officer Kocab was pronounced dead shortly after he arrived at TGH, according to McElroy.
Several people stopped and left flowers Tuesday morning at the TPD memorial in downtown Tampa.
"To have two Tampa police officer shot, less than a year after losing Corporal Mike Roberts, is absolutely devastating to our department," McElroy said earlier Tuesday. "We are still grieving the loss of Mike, and to now be at a scene with two Tampa police officers shot, it's really beyond description and all of our energy, all of our resources, all of our efforts right now are to catch these two individuals who have attempted to take the life of two Tampa police officers."
Cpl. Mike Roberts was shot and killed last August when he approached a suspicious man pushing a shopping cart, which turned out to be holding several weapons.
Attorney General Bill McCollum released a statement Tuesday morning, saying his "thoughts and prayers are with the families of Tampa Police Officers Jeff Kocab and Dave Curtis and the entire Tampa Police Department as they grieve the loss of two exceptional public servants just eleven months after the loss of Corporal Mike Roberts, another fine Tampa police officer killed in the line of duty ... "
Tuesday's shooting comes less than a week after two Polk County deputies were shot and injured while questioning a suspect in a Lakeland neighborhood. The suspect, 21-year-old Matthew Tutt, shot at the deputies and was killed by their return fire. Both deputies are recovering from their injuries.
There is an ongoing search for Morris, the suspect who now faces murder charges. Hillsborough deputies are aiding police, as helicopters, K-9 units, and foot crews are in use in the area of the shooting.
Shortly before 1 p.m., police said Brantley had been located at an apartment complex near the shooting scene, and the vehicle the fallen officers stopped was also found there.
Police confirmed that Morris had a minor arrest warrant in Jacksonville for a bad check.
They described him as a black male, about 5 feet 10 inches tall, wearing brown shorts, a white tee shirt, black vest and white shoes.
Anyone who may have been in the area at the time of the shooting or knows where the suspects may be is asked to call Tampa police at (813) 231-6130 or the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.
The FBI and Crime Stoppers of Tampa Bay is offering up to a $75,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and indictment of those responsible for killing Officer Kocab and Curtis. Information can be called in to 1-800-873-TIPS (8477), reported anonymously online at www.crimestopperstb.com or text "CSTB" plus your tip to C-R-I-M-E-S (274637).
If you would like to make monetary donation to help the families of the fallen officers, TPD asks for checks to be made payable to the Curtis/Kocab Memorial Fund and sent in care of the Tampa Police Memorial Committee, P.O. Box 172995, Tampa, FL 33672. Donations can also be made in person at any Tampa Bay Federal Credit Union location
Aww man, at least you tried. What are you planning to try next?
