Officer Involved Shooting in Tarpon Springs Leaves Suspect Dead

By
Steven Hirschfield
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Police and fire medics attend to victim after officer involved shooting in Tarpon Springs

Officer Involved Shooting in Tarpon Springs Leaves Suspect Dead

Update May 7, 2017 – 5:30 p.m

25 year-old Nicholas A Provenza of Palm Harbor was identified as the subject that died after being shot by a Tarpon Springs Police Officer on Saturday.

Charles Provenza, the father of Nicholas was notified by FDLE.  TSPD reports they never had prior contact with Nicholas.

No other information was released regarding the identity of the officer involved or if a knife was recovered.

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Shortly after 1:30 p.m., fire rescue units were dispatched to reports of a shooting in Tarpon Springs.

The shooting took place in the area of Tarpon Ave and Stafford Avenue which is just east of Pinellas Avenue.

The shooting happened at the 9th Annual “Drive Away Breast Cancer” Car Show being held at the location.

A witness reports that the male subject was looking at cars then became involved in a confrontation with a Tarpon Springs Police officer.

According to Tarpon Springs Police, at approximately 1:32 p.m., a Tarpon Springs Police Department patrol officer who was working an Off-Duty event (Car Show) downtown was advised by visitors of a suspicious man riding a bike wearing an orange jacket with the hood pulled over his head in the area of Tarpon Ave and Safford Ave.

The officer upon making contact with this individual at the intersection of Tarpon/Safford called out over the radio that he was out with the subject and was provided a name and date of birth which did not come back with anything, the Officer advised that he gave him a fake name.

He provided another last name which the officer gave over the radio, then there was silence an then the officer came over the radio stating “Shots Fired”,  “Shots
Fired”,   “Shots Fired” then  the officer advised over the radio “He came at me with a knife”.

The suspect was transported to Florida Hospital North Pinellas where at 2:26 p.m. he was pronounced deceased.  The officer was not injured during this incident.  Numerous witnesses are being interviewed about the incident.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement was notified and will be handling the investigation into the officer involved shooting with assistance from the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office Forensics unit.

Neither the name of the suspect nor the officer involved is being released at
this time.

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1 COMMENT

  1. curiosity… why the requirement for a witness to justify this? I know nothing more than 99.9% of the people seeing this, but I certainly don’t start my thoughts on it with “if there was a witness than good for the cop.” Sad sad world now that officers can’t do their jobs without a need for overpowering witness to their sometimes fraction of a second decisions. Glad the officer is ok, hope everything is in order for him/her.

    • If someone comes at you with a knife with intent to do harm. You just going to try your luck with juijitsu? Unless you’re chuck noris, you’re best trying your luck with your sidearm or you might not be coming home to your children. Mental incapacity does not make one less dangerous. Merely more unpredictable. Shooting to kill is often your only way to survive.

      • Being a police officer isa dangerous job. This guy signed up for it knowing the risks. It doesn’t give him the right to shoot an unarmed man. The safety of others matters, not just the cop. According to witnesses there was no knife, he had SUNGLASSES in his hand and none of this would have even happened if the cop hadnt been harassing the guy for no reason. He deserves nothing less than a murder conviction for this.

  11. This is outrageous! Nick wouldn’t harm anyone! :'( what is wrong with this world? In 3 days, 3…. My children have each lost a friend, brother and more to this hatred! It has to stop! #Justice4Nick# shot down, no motive, teaches us to protect ourselves since our country and states refuse too. #Nomorewrongdeathsfromstatecountymurderers#
    R.I.P my dearest boy…… Love n light…. Till we meet again…. ❤✌

  12. I grew up with nick and I believe in my heart he would never attack a police officer with a knife ! These witnesses need to come forward. I have seen a few on fb saying they never saw a knife in nicks hands at all! And that he was trying to run away. Shooting someone 3 times is excessive. Nick was not a big guy.. a taser, rubber bullets, etc. this NEEDS to be investigated !!! These aggro cops needs to be RETRAINED.

    And to the guy who posted a link to heroin dealing and something else in another state? THATS NOT EVEN THE RIGHT NICK, who are you? fucking Sherlock Holmes.. some good old Floridian detective work right there.. don’t let these idiots on the comment thread spread lies.

    Justice for nick provenza!

  16. You all are a bunch of idiots. Obviously since NONE of you were there and are just basing everything off of your feelings, he had a knife, he charged am officer, to which MANY people saw, IDGAF if he was a vegan, Hitler was a vegan. This idiot decided to play stupid games and give the cop the runaround, and what happened? He won stupid prizes.

  17. Many saw, many that saw were yelled at by the tampon cops, to stay away. Many saw no knife until it was pulled out of the victims pocket by ems, appeared to be a pen knife.. Victim was dead, ems should of never touched the body. It took forensics 3hrs to arrive after the murder. Many many saw what happened. My father was there.