Shots Fired at St. Pete Police

Multiple shots were fired at St. Petersburg Police officers early Wednesday morning, as they were arresting a hit-and-run suspect at 4248 4th Ave. S.

No one was injured in the incident. The suspect got away. Police are asking for help.

According to the police, at 3:47 a.m. Wednesday, a silver Toyota Camry was reported driving recklessly, heading west from the Obama Express convenience store, 1400 18th Ave. S.

The Toyota Camry had hit two vehicles in the area before leaving the scene. No one was hurt.

A short time later, at about 4:31 a.m., officers responded to several calls of "shots heard in the area" of 4th Avenue South and 42nd Street South, according to the police report.

Several St. Petersburg Police officers arrived and saw a man breaking windows at the rear of a house, at 4248 4th Ave. S.

The officers, according to police, also found a silver Toyota Camry parked at the rear of the house and determined that it was the suspect vehicle that had been involved in the two hit-and-run crashes.

The Toyota Camry had heavy damage and what appeared to be blood spattered on the exterior of the vehicle.

Police said officers arrested the man found breaking the windows and identified him as 22-year-old Travis Bruc of 3500 19th Ave. S.

Bruce, according to the police report, admitted to driving the Toyota Camry and to being responsible for the earlier hit-and-run crashes.

The Toyota Camry has been impounded and will be processed for DNA and other forensic evidence.

According to jail records, Bruce has been charged with driving while license suspended/revoked, two counts of leaving the scene of a crash involving property damage, resisting an officer without violence and criminal mischief.

Police said there appears to be an underlying domestic dispute between Bruce and another man concerning Bruce's girlfriend, who lives at 4248 4th Ave. S.

While arresting Bruce, officers were positioned around or near the house at 4248 4th Ave. S. when a man driving a sedan circled the block, passing by the house several times. 

The driver, according to the police report, verbally threatened to shoot one of the police officers, then drove around the corner toward the alley behind the home.

Moments later, several rounds were fired from the location where the sedan was last seen, and the shots were fired in the direction of the officers at the rear of the house.

Several officers at the scene heard the gunshots. One of the officers standing in the alley behind the home heard several bullets whizzing overhead, police said.

Minutes later, at about 4:51 a.m., a police supervisor spotted the
suspect's vehicle heading north on I-275, but the vehicle exited on 22nd
Avenue North and was not located.

St. Petersburg Police Detectives are actively working several leads on this case. Anyone with information about this case can call the Communications Center at 727-893-7780. Anonymous tipsters can call the Tip Line at 727-892-5000 or Text a Tip at 727-420-8911.