Tampa Security Officer Shot-Suspect Fled
Tampa Fla January 2, 2025 Police are investigating after a security officer was shot while working New Year’s Eve.
The shooting occurred about 10:40 p.m. as crowds gathered in Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park and the nearby Tampa Museum of Art.
A security officer who was working at the museum encountered “a large group of juveniles” and tried to get them to leave, Tampa police Major Eric DeFelice said in a news conference.
“He heard a loud pop and then felt pain in his arm and chest area,” DeFelice said.
The group of young people fled as police swarmed the area.
Officers found the security guard with a single gunshot wound. He was taken to a hospital. His injury was described as not being life-threatening. He was reported to be in stable condition.
Video later surfaced on TikTok showing officers leading a young man in handcuffs toward a police vehicle, but DeFelice said investigators did not have any information connecting the man to the shooting. His identity and the reason for his arrest were unclear.
