A 47-year-old St. Petersburg city sanitation worker and mother of four was shot and killed Wednesday afternoon in what police believe was a domestic-related incident.
The shooting occurred at approximately 12:30 p.m. on July 22, 2026, in the 4100 block of 12th Avenue South.
According to the St. Petersburg police chief, officers responded to reports that a city employee had been shot at the location. The woman was pronounced deceased at the scene.
Police said the victim had worked for the city as a sanitation worker for approximately 12 years.
Investigators believe the shooting was not a random act and involved a domestic dispute between the victim and a known suspect. Witnesses reportedly placed the suspect at the scene.
Police said an argument occurred before the suspect entered the cab of a front-end loader and shot the victim multiple times.
At approximately 12:30 PM, State Troopers received a Be On The Lookout (BOLO) alert from the FHP Regional Communications Center regarding a 43-year-old Ladavion King believed to be suicidal and involved in a homicide in St. Petersburg. Troopers located the suspect in Lee County and attempted a traffic stop, but the suspect fled.
A Precision Immobilization Technique (PIT) maneuver was successfully executed near southbound Exit 128 at Alico Road on I-75. Despite this, the suspect refused to comply with lawful commands and barricaded himself inside his vehicle. State Troopers, along with Lee County Sheriff’s Deputies who were also on scene, established contact with the King. He was ultimately taken into custody.
The suspect has been transported to the hospital with serious injuries. No law enforcement was injured on scene. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is on scene and will further investigate the Use of Control.
“State Troopers and law enforcement officers put themselves in harm’s way every day to protect the people of this great state,” said FLHSMV Executive Director Dave Kerner. “As this is an active criminal investigation, we will have no further comment, except to say how thankful I am for the heroism State Troopers display each and every day, including this very challenging and dangerous incident today. The entire Florida Highway Patrol is deeply thankful for the heroism and support Lee County Deputies provided in responding, as well.”
Counselors will be made available to city employees to help them cope with their grief.