Who: Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office Judicial Operations Bureau -Violent Offender Warrant Unit Investigative Operations Bureau - Robbery/ Homicide Unit
Lieutenant Steve Wagner Hire Date: 9/17/1990 Age: 51
Sergeant Frank Holloway Hire Date: 8/2/1999 Age:37
Corporal Kevin Grissinger Hire Date: 5/20/1990 Age:46
Detective Clay Saunders Hire Date: 5/7/2001 Age:44
Detective Jason Willis Hire Date: 6/8/2012 Age:40
Detective Thomas Akin Hire Date: 6/11/2000 Age:37
Richard Xavier Summers (Suspect Deceased) DOB: 04/11/1968 Address: 730 Sunset Drive Tarpon Springs Charges: Warrant for Uttering a Forged Bills
What: Detectives assigned to the Robbery/Homicide Unit are investigating a deputy involved shooting that fatally injured a wanted man after he fired a semi-automatic handgun at detectives. When: The incident occurred at about 3:30 p.m. on April 6, 2017.
Where: The shooting occurred in the parking lot of the Winghouse located at 7369 Ulmerton Road, Largo.
Why/How: Detectives assigned to the Robbery/Homicide Unit are investigating a deputy involved shooting that fatally injured a wanted man after he fired a semi-automatic handgun at detectives.
On April 6, 2017, deputies received information the suspect, 48-year-old Richard Xavier Summers, was wanted for failure to appear on a felony fraud criminal charge out of Hillsborough County. Deputies determined that Summers had an extensive criminal history that included drug trafficking and they received information that he was known to carry a firearm.
Detectives from the Violent Offender Warrant Unit were notified of the outstanding warrant and they began their investigation. Detectives received information through various investigative techniques that Summers was gathering money so he could flee the country.
Detectives were able to locate Summers, who was found riding as a passenger in an Uber driver vehicle. Detectives followed Summers to a Wells Fargo Bank where he cashed a check and left in the same vehicle.
Detectives initiated a felony traffic stop on the Uber vehicle. The Uber driver pulled his vehicle off the roadway into the parking lot of the Winghouse located at 7369 Ulmerton Road in Largo.
After the vehicle came to a stop, detectives gave Summers and the Uber driver instructions to place their hands in the air. The Uber driver complied with the commands but Summers did not. Summers made furtive movements inside the front passenger compartment of the vehicle and continued to refuse the commands from detectives.
Detectives say that Summers opened the front passenger door and exited the vehicle with a semi-automatic handgun that he pointed at detectives. Summers fired the handgun at the detectives striking the hood of one of the detective’s vehicles.
Lieutenant Steve Wagner, Sergeant Frank Holloway, Corporal Kevin Grissinger, Detective Clay Saunders, Detective Jason Willis, and Detective Thomas Akin returned fire striking Summers.
Paramedics responded to the scene and Summers was pronounced dead.
No detectives or deputies were injured.
The detectives involved in the shooting will be placed on routine paid administrative leave.
Next of kin has been notified.
The investigation continues.
Sheriff Bob Gualtieri’s entire press conference can be viewed here on our YouTube Page: https://youtu.be/h_quttx6Qhg Attached photographs:
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