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Officer-involved shooting in Pinellas Park 'justified': Officials

Officer-involved shooting in Pinellas Park 'justified': State Attorney's Office
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PINELLAS PARK, Fla. — Pinellas County Sheriff's Office said the State Attorney's Office found the officer-involved shooting on March 31 was justified.

On March 31, Ryan Lecompte barricaded himself inside a residence at Briar Ridge Court North.

PCSO said SWAT teams were called to the scene and, after several hours, an armored vehicle was used to breach the front door, along with a drone to get a visual on Lecompte, who was holding a shotgun, which he then raised toward officers. PCSO said two Pinellas Park Police officers fired four rounds, striking Lecompte.

Lecompte died from his injuries.

PCSO said the State Attorney's Office sent a letter on April 16 to Sheriff Bob Gualtieri and determined "Corporal Wesley Ducheney and Officer Ryan Poletz were in the lawful performance of their duties when Ryan Lecompte, while committing an aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, pointed a loaded Mossberg 500 20-gauge shotgun at members of the Pinellas Park Police Department."

Read full letter


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