Hillsborough County – A Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office deputy fatally shot a woman early Sunday morning following a domestic violence incident at a residence in the 1500 block of Carolton Circle.
According to Chief Deputy Joseph Maurer, deputies responded to a call reporting a burglary in progress at approximately 4:41 a.m. Upon arrival, they learned that the suspect, identified as the grandmother in the household, had allegedly shot her daughter in the hand.
Deputies encountered a complex scene involving multiple individuals: the suspect, 46-year-old Rosamond Brookins (grandmother), the victim (daughter), a grandchild, and a roommate. The roommate exited the residence with the child and was safely recovered by deputies.
Two teams entered the home. One team rescued the daughter, who appeared to be under the influence of an unknown substance. It was reported that the suspect may have instructed her to drink something. The victim was described as lethargic and unable to maintain balance.
The second team located the suspect barricaded in a locked back room. After receiving no response to repeated commands to open the door and identify herself, deputies breached the door and found Brookins armed with a firearm. Despite multiple commands to drop the weapon, Brookins raised the firearm, prompting Deputy Joshua Thomas to fire, fatally striking her.
The shooting occurred at approximately 5:05 a.m.
Deputy Thomas has been with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office for 10 months and previously served six years with the Temple Terrace Police Department. He has no prior use of deadly force.
Chief Deputy Maurer emphasized the challenges of addressing domestic violence and urged the public to seek help through available resources, including the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, The Spring, and the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay.
The daughter is in stable condition with a gunshot wound to her hand. Brookins is deceased. The investigation is ongoing, and officials did not confirm a motive.
Preliminary information suggests the suspect had been asked to leave the residence on the Friday before the incident.
All additional updates will come from FDLE.