infoFlorida Man charged in random shootings that injured five, including officer

Florida Man charged in random shootings that injured five, including officer

Antonio Cruz Ortiz faces charges of attempted first-degree murder of a law enforcement officer with a firearm; four counts of attempted second-degree murder; seven counts of aggravated assault with a firearm; and three counts of shooting at an occupied vehicle.

Investigators say four people were shot and about ten others were shot at. Fortunately, no one suffered life-threatening injuries.

More charges are likely to come, Tampa police said.

The string of shootings began about 6:52 p.m., when Tampa police received a 911 call about a man firing from a moving vehicle. Two people were shot there.

One man told detectives that Ortiz stared and laughed at him before pointing a gun in his direction and firing a shot.

During this time there were several other reports of a motorist shooting at people.

About 7:35 p.m., a Tampa police officer spotted a vehicle matching the callers\u00e2\u0080\u0099 description. The officer attempted what law enforcement calls a \u00e2\u0080\u009cfelony traffic stop,\u00e2\u0080\u009d which is when officers take certain precautions because they are pulling over someone who may be armed or dangerous.

Ortiz turned and then jumped out brandishing a weapon. He started shooting at the 24-year-old officer, police said, as the officer ducked and backed his vehicle up.

Several rounds penetrated the front windshield and shattered the back windshield as the vehicle drove in reverse. The officer did not return fire.

Ortiz then ran to the nearby Park Terrace Apartments. Multiple officers descended on the area to search, and a canine tracked him to a third-floor landing, where he was captured.

After Ortiz was caught, police found several firearms, including a rifle that matched the description the witnesses gave investigators, the Sheriff\u00e2\u0080\u0099s Office report says. Rounds in the rifle matched the model and caliber found at several of the shooting scenes, according to the report.