Police Shoot, Kill St. Pete Man

A man who pulled a gun on three St. Petersburg Police Officers early Monday morning is dead after police opened fire on the suspect. 

According to police, 23-year-old Ronald Sexton died at the scene. 

Police were originally called to the 4400 block of 10th Avenue North Monday morning on a report of a "man with a gun". 

A neighbor of Sexton's told police Sexton woke him up around 1:28 a.m. Monday by yelling in the backyard of the neighbor's home.

Police said Sexton was verbally taunting the complainant's pit bull in the backyard.

The police report said Sexton, who also had his pit bull with him, was asked by the complainant to stop yelling when Sexton said to, "meet me out front."

When the complainant went to his front door Sexton allegedly pulled a handgun from his pants and brandished the gun in front of the complainant.

According to police, while the complainant was on the phone with a 911 operator, Sexton could be heard in the background, pounding on the complainant's front door and yelling. 

Three police officers arrived around 1:31 a.m. and approached Sexton who was on the front porch of the home.

Officers said they asked Sexton to get on the ground. Sexton began to comply but suddenly pulled a black semi-automatic handgun from his pants and pointed it at the officers. 

The three officers fired their guns at Sexton who died at the scene, according to the police report. 

Multiple witnesses told police that Sexton had been drinking heavily throughout the day Sunday. 

According to St. Petersburg Police Department policy, police will not release the names of the three officers involved in the shooting until Sept. 3. All three officers are on paid administrative leave until further notice, which is standard procedure in cases involving a shooting death, police said.