On Wednesday evening, a Hillsborough County deputy shot and killed a man during an undercover drug operation.
According to reports, Robert Earl Gary, Jr., 31, got into a fight with an undercover deputy during a drug deal near 122nd Avenue and 16th Street at the Summerwind Apartments.
At 5:30 p. m., an undercover detective was posing as a buyer when he tried to make a transaction with a man believed to be selling crack cocaine in the area. During the transaction, the suspect allegedly tried to rob the detective, and the two men started fighting. During the fight, deputies said the detectives gun was dislodged, and both men fell down an outside stairwell, both trying to get control of the gun. While they fought, the detective’s gun fired several rounds. It is yet to be determined if any of those rounds struck Gary.
A pair of backup detectives in the area heard the confrontation and went to assist. The two backup reportedly identified themselves and asked Gary to drop the gun. Gary reportedly refused to comply, and the backup deputies fired their weapons several times, shooting and killing Gary at the scene.
The deputy involved in the fight was injured, but not seriously, deputies said.
Officials are now investigating the series of events that led to Gary being shot.
Gary reportedly has an arrest record that goes back 10 years, and has spent time in prison.
Read full article in the Friday, January 11th edition.
