TAMPA, Fla. -- A Tampa police officer suffered from a gunshot wound and another was injured while both worked to serve a warrant.
The incident happened around 2:40 a.m. Monday, March 19, in the area of North Hubert Avenue and West Alva Street when the suspect fired several shots from the doorway.
Police say officer Richard Lehr, a 9-year veteran of the Tampa Police Department, was shot in the arm. It is believed the same bullet also struck his torso and his leg was injured. Three-year veteran Officer Leigh Smith injured his ankle and has been treated and released from the hospital.
Both officers fired back at the suspect, who retreated back inside.
Suspect Walter Jeziorski III, 35, participated in a short standoff with the officers and he was asked to surrender his weapon and give up by his mother. His arrest warrants were for a felony warrant for a written threat to kill or do bodily harm, threatening or harassing phone calls, and owning or possessing a firearm after domestic violence issues.
Jeziorski additionally faces two counts of attempted murder in the second degree of a law enforcement officer.
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Close to two dozen officers responded to aid the officers, according to 10News' Emerald Morrow. Tampa Police Chief Brian Dugan said it's believed the suspect had some sort of mental health issue in relation to the crime.
"I think it's clear that we have a problem with mental health issues in our county, and this is just another example of what our officers deal with every single day out there," Dugan said.
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