Officers from the Largo Police Department responded to a residential home shortly before 10 p.m. on Saturday, November 6, 2021. The residence is in the area of 144th Lane and 122nd Avenue N. The call for service was related to a Domestic Disturbance.
It was reported that a male subject who lived on 144th Lane was on scene at his ex-girlfriend’s residence on the same street. He damaged two vehicle by flattening tires and breaking glass and in an altercation with neighbors. While en-route, dispatch advised that the subject, identified as 58 year-old James Roesler, was possibly armed with a firearm and that a witness heard a gun shot.
Upon arrival, officers made contact with Roesler, who was armed with a Winchester Model 88 Level Action 308 rifle. According to arrest documentation, three officers with the Largo Police Department fired their service weapons after Roesler refused to drop his rife. He reportedly stated he was not going to drop his weapon and then pointed the rifle at the three officers.
Roeseler was transported to Bayfront Health St. Petersburg and believed to have non-life threatening injuries.
Roesler told investigators”what I did was stupid” and that “the officers did what they had to do.”
No citizens or officers were injured in the incident.
Two Largo officers were involved in a vehicle crash while responding to this incident. That crash occurred at the intersection of 143rd Street and Walsingham Road as officers rushed to the scene. Those two officers were transported to a local hospital for precautionary measures.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating this officer-involved shooting per the Memorandum of Understanding between the two agencies. At this time this is an active investigation.