Crime
Violent Hit and Run: Tampa Officers Fatally Shoot Suspect, 1 pedestrian killed, several injured
Bailey struck and fatally injured an unidentified adult Hispanic male walking in the 5800 block of Interbay Boulevard.
Tampa, FL (January 27, 2025) – Tampa Police are actively investigating a series of violent incidents that unfolded on the evening of January 26, 2025, culminating in a fatal officer-involved shooting.
The suspect, identified as 48-year-old Jeremiah Bailey, was involved in multiple hit-and-run incidents across South Tampa, resulting in three injuries and one fatality.
Bailey, who had an extensive criminal history that included charges of Battery on a Law Enforcement Officer, Battery on an EMT, and Aggravated Battery with a Deadly Weapon, had been released from the Florida State Prison in October 2022.
At 8:35 p.m., Tampa Police received the first reports of Bailey’s erratic behavior, which began with an altercation at a Dollar General store. In the store’s parking lot, Bailey intentionally blocked the vehicle of 47-year-old Eric Archield.
After a brief verbal exchange, Archield was able to leave the scene, but Bailey followed him to a friend’s residence near W. Meadow St. and S. MacDill Ave., where he struck Archield with his vehicle.
In response, Archield’s friend fired a weapon to deter Bailey, who then fled. Archield sustained minor injuries and was treated at the scene.
Bailey continued his reckless actions, driving northbound on MacDill Avenue near Interbay Boulevard. Witnesses reported that his vehicle, a white Honda, veered off the road near a Mobil Gas Station and intentionally struck 43-year-old Jesse Rickett, causing severe head injuries. Rickett was transported to a local hospital in critical but stable condition.
Shortly after, Bailey struck and fatally injured an unidentified adult Hispanic male walking in the 5800 block of Interbay Boulevard. Efforts to confirm his identity and notify next of kin are ongoing.
At approximately 9:00 p.m., a Tampa Police officer observed Bailey removing a bicycle from the trunk of his car on Wyoming Avenue. The officer ordered him to stop, but Bailey discarded the bicycle, reentered his vehicle, and fled at high speed.
Before officers could locate him again, Bailey struck 41-year-old Timothy Harden near West Shore Boulevard and Lemon Street as he crossed the street with his wife. Harden was transported to the hospital for evaluation, while his wife escaped injury.
Tampa Police officers located Bailey’s vehicle shortly after the last hit-and-run and initiated a pursuit onto Interstate 275 northbound.
Officers successfully performed a Precision Immobilization Technique (PIT) maneuver to stop the vehicle. Despite multiple verbal commands to show his hands, Bailey made a motion that led officers to believe their lives were in imminent danger, prompting them to open fire.
Bailey was struck by gunfire and pronounced deceased at the scene. No firearm was found in his possession or inside his vehicle; however, searches of the areas he traveled are ongoing.
Seven officers discharged their firearms during the incident. They have been identified as:
- Officer Algenis Maceo, Hispanic male, 8+ years with Tampa Police
- Officer Jacob Petit, White male, 7+ years with Tampa Police
- Officer Andrew Haase, White male, 5+ years with Tampa Police
- Officer Bryan Velazquez, Hispanic male, 5+ years with Tampa Police
- Officer Erik Lopez, Hispanic male, 4+ years with Tampa Police
- Officer Santiago Alzate-Castro, Hispanic male, 2+ years with Tampa Police
- Officer Nathan Berry, White male, 1 year with Tampa Police
Three officers sustained non-life-threatening injuries during the incident, likely due to ricochets or debris. They have been identified as:
- Sergeant Joe Ltief, White male, 10+ years with Tampa Police
- Officer Rachel Carr, White female, 5+ years with Tampa Police
- Officer Joseph Barry, White male, 4 years with Tampa Police
The injured officers were treated at a local hospital and have since been released.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) is leading the investigation into the officer-involved shooting, and all officers involved have been placed on administrative leave in accordance with department policy. Tampa Police detectives continue to investigate each hit-and-run incident and are working to determine Bailey’s motives.
“This video footage highlights the heroic efforts made by our officers to stop an ongoing and dangerous threat to our community. Our thoughts remain with the victims affected by these heinous acts, and our Victim Advocate Unit is providing necessary support and resources,” said Chief Bercaw.
Authorities are urging anyone with additional information related to these incidents to contact the Tampa Police Department at (813) 231-6130, or submit anonymous tips to Crime Stoppers of Tampa Bay at 1-800-873-TIPS.
Crime
Attorneys Argue Jacob Bard Actions in Deadly Kentucky State University Shooting Were Legally Justified
Attorneys representing Jacob Bard, the man accused in a deadly shooting at Kentucky State University, contend that his actions were legally justified and undertaken in defense of his family amid what they describe as a violent and uncontrolled situation on campus.
In a press release issued Monday afternoon, Bard’s legal team from the Indiana-based law firm Danks & Danks asserted that Bard “was completely justified under the law in his use of deadly force.”
Bard is accused of fatally shooting one Kentucky State University student and wounding another during an incident at a campus dormitory.
According to the attorneys’ statement, Bard traveled to Kentucky State University after his younger son reported being attacked on multiple occasions.
The release alleges that on Monday, December 8, a group of approximately 20 to 30 individuals gathered outside the son’s dormitory, some allegedly armed, and began beating on the door. Campus police were reportedly called to respond to the disturbance.
The following morning, Bard and his wife met with Kentucky State University police. While the attorneys stated that officers appeared sincere in their efforts, they claimed it was evident to the family that campus police were “ill-prepared to deal with the out-of-control and violent environment.”
The legal team further alleges that both the university and its police department failed to adequately address what they described as multiple armed and violent felonies against Bard’s sons, ages 18 and 19, as well as other students in the days preceding the shooting.
Those alleged incidents included burglaries and armed assaults.
Later that morning, the family attended a meeting at Young Hall with campus police and a university dean.
According to the release, the meeting left the family convinced that the university would not be able to maintain a safe environment, prompting them to begin removing the son’s belongings from the dormitory.
When the family returned to the residence hall, the attorneys claim that individuals previously involved in the alleged assaults were present, despite assurances they would not be allowed inside.
The statement further alleges that those individuals photographed the family and made verbal threats.
The attorneys contend that, even with two armed Kentucky State University police officers present, a group of 20 to 30 individuals gathered in the dormitory lobby and “violently and viciously attacked” Bard’s son and family members.
According to the release, Bard’s son was slammed into the concrete floor and beaten by multiple people, and the officer on scene allegedly lost control of the situation.
“In the chaos,” the attorneys wrote, Bard attempted to pull attackers off his son but was struck himself. Believing his son to be in imminent danger of death or serious physical injury, Bard then drew his firearm and shot two individuals whom the attorneys say were actively assaulting his son.
The legal team also stated that no charges have been filed against others allegedly involved in the confrontation and claimed the Bard family has continued to receive death threats.
The release further alleges that the mother of the deceased student has publicly called for retaliation against Bard’s son and sought assistance from criminal groups—claims that have not been independently verified by authorities.
The case against Bard was presented to a grand jury on December 16.
During a previous court hearing, a detective testified that at least one video reviewed by investigators did not show the shooting victims assaulting Bard’s son.
The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities have not issued a final determination regarding the circumstances surrounding the shooting.