INDIAN SHORES – A 26-year-old St. Petersburg man was shot and killed by Pinellas County Sheriff’s deputies and an Indian Shores police officer Oct. 28 following a car chase.
According to a sheriff’s report, Kentin Deon Brooks of 420 79th Terrace N., Apt. 309, was observed driving recklessly in a black Ford Mustang along Gulf Boulevard. Deputies initiated a traffic stop but Brooks did not stop. Deputies began a pursuit but called it off immediately for safety reasons and the suspect continued on.
A short time later, Brooks returned to the area where he had last seen the deputies and officers. This time Brooks began spinning the tires on his car and raced past deputies and an officer, as if he was attempting to engage them, sheriff’s officials said.
Deputies followed Brooks as he drove north on Gulf Boulevard and later rammed an Indian Shores Police Department cruiser.
At that point, Pinellas deputies used a pit maneuver to stop Brooks. The action, which is accomplished when a police cruiser rams the rear corner of a suspect vehicle, caused the Mustang to spin off the roadway and strike a power pole at 19106 Gulf Blvd.
Deputies and Indian Shores police officers stopped and as they were leaving their cars, Brooks opened fire from inside the Mustang, striking the windshield of both Pinellas Sheriff’s Office and Indian Shores Police cruisers.
Deputies and the officer returned fire. Brooks was killed. No deputies or police officers were injured.
Three deputies and one Indian Shores police officer involved in the shooting have been placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation, which is standard procedure in a deputy and officer related shooting.
