PLANT CITY, Fla. — A Plant City police detective was hit by a vehicle while attempting a traffic stop Wednesday, and the suspects involved were later found and shot in Polk County.
- Incident started at business on Sammonds Road
- Detective taken to Lakeland Regional Hospital with serious injuries
- 1 suspect killed, 1 injured in shooting involving Polk County Sheriff's Office
One of those suspects was killed, and the detective was hospitalized in serious condition.
The suspect killed was identified as Aaron Phillips, 31.
The incident started at about 11 a.m. Wednesday.
The detective was conducting surveillance on a truck with someone inside who was wanted on several felony warrants and followed the vehicle into the parking lot of a business on Sammonds Road.
At that time, two other unmarked Plant City Police vehicles tried to stop the truck. Investigators said the driver tried to get away by ramming both vehicles, then turned the truck toward the detective. The detective fired back but was hit by the truck.
That suspect then carjacked another vehicle, a 1990 blue Toyota Tacoma bearing a Florida tag of 7025TP, investigators said.
Hillsborough Sheriff's deputies helped track the suspects, who eventually made their way to Polk County.
It all ended in a mobile home park in Mulberry. A Polk County Sheriff's Office deputy spotted the suspects in that trailer park and approached them to take them into custody.
Then, according to Sheriff Grady Judd, a bystander yelled, "He's got a gun," as Phillips reached for something on the floorboard.
Judd said the deputy feared for his life, so he fired, killing Phillips and hitting Thompson in the stomach.
"[Phillips] is a very dangerous, very violent person," Judd said. "He's proven that in the past, he proved that today."
Aaron Phillips and April Thompson
A gun was found in the truck in the aftermath of the incident. Thompson is expected to recover and will face multiple felony charges, according to the Sheriff's Office.
"There's not many people that get shot twice in one day by two different police officers in two different jurisdictions, but she did," Judd said.
The detective is being treated at Lakeland Regional Medical Center's Intensive Care Unit. He suffered several internal injuries and multiple fractures.
No Polk County deputies were injured.