A 16-year-old male suspect was shot and killed by two Tampa police officers Sunday night at an apartment complex.
Javon Neal of Tampa was rushed to St. Joseph's Hospital in Tampa after he was shot. He later died.
According to Tampa Police spokesperson Laura McElroy, the shooting occurred in the Central Court Apartments in the 2500 block of Central Avenue around 7:20 p.m.
Officers responded to the apartment complex after reports of gunfire in the complex and some kind of gathering, McElroy said. Officers said they spotted the person matching the description provided, approached him and he began to walk away.
McElroy said the officers ordered him to stop, but he began running and went up an outdoor staircase at the apartment complex.
According to the officers, Neal pulled "something" out of his pants leg, and officers ordered him to show his hands and stop. When he reached the third floor, officers said he turned to them and was armed with a assault-style, pistol-gripped shotgun.
Officers reportedly ordered Neal to drop the weapon, he allegedly didn't comply and two officers shot Neal.
However, a person who identified himself as a cousin of Neal said the teen was not the person shooting a weapon and was shot by the officers before he could do anything. McElroy said the officers felt they were in fear for their lives and were acting in self-defense.
The officers have been identified as Gregory Pryor, 36, and Shannon Murphy, 35. Pryor has been with TPD for five years and Murphy has been with the agency for nine years.
Pryor and Murphy will be placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation, which is standard procedure with an officer-involved shooting. The investigation is ongoing.