Officer Shoots at Armed Suspect Near USF St. Pete

A police officer shot at an armed suspect Sunday night at a house near the USF St. Petersburg campus.

The suspect, 47-year-old Shawn J. Culberson, was arrested and charged with aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer.

According to police, at 6:49 p.m. Sunday, officers responded to a call at 155 5th Ave. S. The resident said that Culberson had come to his home and "sucker punched" him in the face.

This, according to the police report, was apparently the result of a disagreement the two men had over a female acquaintance.

The victim directed officers to Culberson's address, at 144 Delmar Terrace S., which is near USF St. Pete's dormitories.

As the officers approached the house to interview Culberson, he came to the doorway holding a handgun and pointed it at the officers.

Officer Jonathan Reeves, 27, who has been an officer since May 2011, drew his gun and fired one round at Culberson, who was not hit and retreated back into his house.

Police said as additional officers arrived on the scene, Culberson came out of his house unarmed and surrendered.

Although the address is near the USF St. Pete campus, the incident was not at a campus facility, police said. 

The gun found inside Culberson's house turned out to be a pellet gun. The suspect claimed that he did not realize that police officers were approaching his house when he pointed the firearm.

Culberson is currently charged with aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer and was transported to the Pinellas County Jail.