ST. PETE, Fla. — A 37-year-old man was shot and killed by St. Petersburg police on Sunday after reportedly advancing toward officers with a knife following unsuccessful taser attempts.
Police say officers responded around 11:30 a.m. to 121 Pershing Street Northeast for reports of a suicidal man armed with a knife. The man, identified as Kasey Sedlock, allegedly told officers to “shoot me” multiple times.
According to investigators, officers deployed a taser twice, briefly causing Sedlock to drop the knife, but he quickly regained it and began moving toward them. Officers then fired four rounds, striking Sedlock. He was transported to a hospital where he was pronounced dead at 12:18 p.m.
WATCH: News conference with the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office
One officer was treated for blood exposure, and the officer who fired has been placed on paid administrative leave pending an independent investigation by the Pinellas County Use of Deadly Force Investigative Task Force.
Under expanded Marsy’s Law, the officer’s name will not be released until 72 hours after the incident.
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