At 3:15 A.M. Tuesday morning, Indian Shores Police officer Matt Holm, 32, heard cars racing on Gulf Boulevard. The cars were doing 70 mph in a 30 mph zone.
Holmes pulled over one of the cars, then as he moved to the second car, the first driver attempted to speed away.
“As he stepped out of the car, the first car he stopped decided to go around his vehicle and intentionally gunned it and tried to run the officer down,” said Indian Shores Police Chief Terry Hughes.
At that point, the officer opened fire.
“For his safety, the officer fired one round. The vehicle did hit him, put him on the ground and we ended up getting the car and the suspects stopped at Indian Rocks beach,” said Hughes.
But witnesses nearby say they heard more shots ring out.
“We were dead asleep, heard about five shots. We jumped up very quickly. My sister called 911 and we locked all of the windows. We heard some screaming, a man’s voice. So, we were kind of concerned about maybe somebody lurking and running from the police so we locked all of the windows,” said Missi Turner who is on vacation from Ohio with family on the beach. “I think things can happen anywhere This is a really nice stretch of beach and you know, it’s scary but it happens everywhere.”
One of the drivers involved in the suspected drag race remained at the scene.
Pinellas deputies quickly caught up to the other car and used stop sticks to flatten all four tires.
The driver ran away, but was arrested a short time later.
Since the shooting involved an Indian Shore police officer, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the incident.
The agency has not released the name of the man they have in custody.
