ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – A Pinellas County Sheriff's Office sergeant and St. Petersburg Police Department K-9 are recovering after being shot on the job.
The two were searching for a man who fled after a traffic stop near 3rd Avenue South and 30th
Street South in St. Petersburg around 1:49 a.m. Friday, according to officials.
Elijah Johnson, 23, abandoned the vehicle and first shot K-9 Titan in the leg, then fired at Sergeant David Stang in the shoulder while he was patrolling separately in his unmarked cruiser, according to police.
Titan works with St. Petersburg police Officer Greg Shone, who guided Titan in the search. Shone was not injured.
Sergeant Stang was on the perimeter with his emergency lights on, helping in the search, when Johnson shot him in the shoulder, according to police.
Law enforcement officers said they found Johnson dead near the search area with what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Sergeant Stang was transported to Bayfront Health St. Petersburg Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
K-9 Titan underwent surgery and is in stable condition.