Recently-Released Prisoner Injured In Shooting By St. Pete Police

ST. PETERSBURG, FL — An armed suspect who police say had 50 rounds in his gun was shot in the face by police in St. Petersburg Saturday, authorities say. There were no injuries to residents or officers.

The suspect shot by St. Petersburg Police was identified as Germaine Small, 28, who was released from the Florida Department of Corrections on March 2, Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri told reporters. Small, who had finished a nine-year sentence for an armed robbery, is in stable condition with non-life-threatening injuries from the officer-involved shooting.

Around 5:30 p.m. Saturday, police were notified about the suspect firing shots at people in front of the Shady Side Meat and Grocery at 4200 15th Avenue South, according to the sheriff's office. Five minutes later, he fired shots at a home in the 1600 block of 42nd Avenue South where a blind older man lives. Authorities said Small had a 9 mm handgun with a 50-round drum.

"Right now, I can't tell you now why he fired at the Shadyside food mart and why he fired into that house, but there are shell casings at both locations and there were rounds that were fired and fired into that home."

As St. Pete Police observed Small in the area of 17th Avenue South and 40th Street, the sheriff's office said Small fired two shots at Officer Andre Sousa. Sousa returned fire, striking Small in the head. Small dropped the gun and ran across the street, where other officers took him into custody.

The sheriff's office said the details of the shooting were preliminary. The investigation continues to determine the motive for the shots fired at the grocery mart and home.

Pinellas County has a use of deadly force task force, which means officer-involved shootings are investigated by an agency other than the one the officer works for. Because the shooting involved a St. Petersburg police officer, the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office is the lead investigating agency.