Two Tampa men were arrested after a witness reported them shooting a deer in the Ridgemoor area of Palm Harbor. The incident occurred at approximately 10:45 p.m. on Saturday, June 4, 2022 near the intersection of Ridgemoor Blvd just outside the gated Glenridge subdivision.
Video of deputies out with stopped vehicle at East Lake Road and Tampa Road
A deputy from the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office was in the area and began to follow a vehicle matching the description of the suspect vehicle. A traffic stop on the Ford Explorer was initiated on the southbound exit ramp of East Lake Road at Tampa Road.
Two Tampa men, 39 year-old Alain Luna and 47 year-old Aniel Toledo, were detained at the scene. Deputies located a compressed CO2 35 caliber pellet rifle and a deceased deer in the back of the 2017 Ford Explorer.
Other deputies began to look for the deer that the witness reported shot at the initial location. Eventually there was a report of a deer with a gunshot wound to the head which ran from the scene. It is unknown if the deer was later located and/or its condition.
Video of deputy with pneumatic CO2 air rifle at traffic stop and deer in rear of SUV
Luna and Toledo were both charged with illegally taking/possessing deer and hunting at night. They were booked into the Pinellas County Jail with a bond amount of $400 each. According to the arrest affidavit, Toledo shot out from the back passenger side of the vehicle.
The shooting of deer is a violation since they were considered hunting a doe in Zone C out of season and at night.
The cost of pneumatic CO2 airguns can be in the thousands of dollars and are capable of taking down medium sized animals from a distance of a few hundred yards. The State of Florida does not classify an air gun as a firearm as it does not use an explosive charge to shoot a projectile. The law only states that a person must be a least 16 years of age to possess one. Other states has classified air guns into the “dangerous weapon” category.
Article updated 6/6/22 @ 9:30 p.m.