ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Two Pinellas County Sheriff's Office law enforcement officers, Corporal Casey Hunter and Deputy Derric Gandee-Lunsford, were justified in the deadly shooting of a man said to have raised a gun toward them.
State Attorney Bruce Bartlett in a letter said the two "were in the lawful performance of their legal duties when they confronted Chad Jenkins."
"Jenkins had recently committed domestic battery and the felony offense of child abuse," Bartlett said. "When confronted by Pinellas County Sheriff's Office deputies, he pointed a firearm at Corporal Hunter."
An autopsy found that Jenkins died of several gunshot wounds, the letter stated.
The Pinellas County Use of Deadly Force Task Force continues to investigate the shooting, according to a news release from the St. Petersburg Police Department.
St. Petersburg Police is leading the investigation because it involved members of the sheriff's office, they add.
The previous story is below.
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A man who attacked his ex-girlfriend and her son is dead after he refused to put down a gun and get out of his car, leading Pinellas County Sheriff's Office deputies to shoot him, St. Petersburg Chief of Police Anthony Holloway said.
Holloway said it all started shortly after 9 p.m. Monday, Oct. 4, at a home on 42nd Avenue N.
The man, later identified as 50-year-old Chad Jenkins, went to the home and abused his ex-girlfriend, according to Holloway.
Her son, who Holloway said came to help her, was also abused. The woman and her son had minor injuries.
Jenkins then left and went to his home on 38th Street N. Holloway says two Pinellas County deputies were called to his home to arrest him for domestic violence and child abuse.
As deputies were about to go up to his house to arrest him, Holloway says Jenkins left his home and got into his car.
Deputies then went to the car and asked him to step out, but he refused, Holloway said. That's when deputies say they saw he had a gun and refused to put it down despite instructions from deputies, the chief said.
The two deputies then shot into the car, hitting and killing Jenkins, Holloway said. The deputies were not injured, according to the chief.
"[Domestic violence calls] are very dangerous," Holloway added.
Jenkins had a risk protection order, which means he wasn't supposed to have a gun, Holloway said.
The two deputies involved, Cpl. Casey Hunter and Deputy Derric Gandee-Lunsford, are on administrative leave dependent on the outcome of the investigation.
Because deputies from the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office were involved in the deadly shooting, the Pinellas County Deadly Task Force will be leading the investigation. That means members of the St. Petersburg Police Department, Clearwater Police Department and Pinellas Park Police Department will be investigating.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, call the Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-500-1119 Florida Relay 711.