The Pinellas County Use of Deadly Force Investigative Group is investigating a shooting involving two sheriff’s office officers in the early hours of the morning.
It happened at 3:17 a.m. in a parking lot at 40528 US 19 N. in Tarpon Springs.
According to authorities, the incident began just after 3 a.m. when a Clearwater police lieutenant spotted a gray Dodge Challenger traveling northbound on US 19 at Sunset Point Road at over 100 mph.
He attempted to stop traffic, but the vehicle sped away, and he was unable to proceed.
Shortly thereafter, another Clearwater police officer saw the same vehicle near US 19 and Republic Drive, still traveling over 100 miles per hour.
The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office was alerted to the vehicle, and two officers placed tire pressure gauges on US 19 near Klosterman Road.
The vehicle continued north, and officers eventually found the vehicle in a furniture store parking lot.
Officers entered the parking lot to stop the vehicle and arrest the driver.
As they exited their squad cars, the vehicle sped around the building and out of sight.
Shortly thereafter, and for inexplicable reasons, the vehicle turned in the direction of where the officers were located and began veering toward them, the official report said.
Fearing for their lives, both officers opened fire. The driver was not injured by the shots, and neither were the officers.
The suspect is 24-year-old Joey Young, who has an extensive criminal record and was released from prison in February of this year. He was in prison for armed robbery and drug offenses.
Young was taken into custody and taken to the county jail.
