Who was Alex Greene? Florida mass shooting suspect, 21, shot dead after carjacking attempt
LAKELAND, FLORIDA: Alex Greene, the prime suspect in a mass shooting incident that took place in central Florida, has been gunned down by a police officer. As per officials, the 21-year-old man was fatally shot after a long car chase and carjacking incident. He crashed into a business in Winter Haven following the confrontation, which is close to Lakeland, a city that witnessed mass shooting, injuring 11 people.
Lakeland Police Chief Sammy Taylor said, “We are very confident he was, in fact, involved; to what extent we don’t know yet.” He added that the detectives intended to arrest Greene on an outstanding burglary warrant in order to talk to him about the shooting on January 30 near downtown Lakeland, 30 miles east of Tampa. As investigators from the Lakeland Police Department, the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement conducted surveillance, the suspect took off in a pickup truck, said Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd in a news conference.
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Greene discarded his vehicle and started running
Lakeland police followed him as Police Capt Eric Harper drove an unmarked vehicle and tried to stop Greene. Judd explained by saying, “so that we don’t have this pursuit on a very busy road," Judd said.The officer was successfully able to do pit maneuver and Greene discarded his vehicle and started running towards traffic, reports ABC News. “Why he and the captain weren’t run over is just the grace of God, because traffic was all over the place," added Judd. Greene saw a woman standing outside her car in front of a restaurant with car open and tried to carjack.
As per official news release, “Greene pushed the woman away and got into the car. Harper approached with his gun drawn, yelling commands for Greene to stop and show his hands.” Judd further said, “Captain Harper was also loudly identifying himself as a police officer. The suspect takes off in her car, drives toward Capt Harper, who shoots six times," Judd said. The car continues down a road, weaves through flower beds and crashes into a building."
'No one else was injured in the pursuit'
According to Tuesday, February 7, press release, law enforcement carried CPR on Greene and was immediately taken to a hospital. He was declared brought dead by the hospital team. “No one else was injured in the pursuit, which we are all grateful for,” Judd concluded. Two people were critically hurt in the January 30 shooting whereas other eight wounded victims suffered non-life threatening injuries.