– Tampa police said an officer’s bulletproof vest may have saved his life during a shooting Saturday afternoon.
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According to the agency, initial reports about two vehicles being involved in the shooting that occurred around 4 p.m.in the back parking lot of the Hyatt hotel, 11408 N. 30th St., were incorrect. One suspect died on the scene and the other was being treated at a hospital. King, an email from the agency said, was shot once before officers arrived at the Hyatt parking lot. “Officer Rodriguez was shot one time”.
“At some point, one of the suspects engaged the officer and he returned fire”, Davis said.
There were no immediate details on how many shots were fired or the nature of the injuries.
A rescue helicopter airlifted Rodriguez to Tampa General Hospital. Police did not release their names. She said the officer was breathing and conscious when he was transported for care.
Rodriguez was taken to a local hospital.
Saturday night, detectives were interviewing several witnesses who saw the shooting.
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Police identified the wounded officer as Jose Rodriguez, 53, a 13-year veteran of the Tampa Police Department. Police said they do not believe anyone else was involved.
