NEW PORT RICHEY – The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating a fatal shooting on March 9 that led to the suspect exchanging gunfire with Pasco Sheriff’s Office deputies.
Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco said a man and woman were clearing land around noon at the intersection of Davista Avenue and Sawtell Street when they were confronted by 32-year-old Aaron Rodriguez. The male victim called 911, telling dispatch they were being harassed by Rodriguez.
“While he’s on the phone with 911, the male victim is shot,” Nocco said. “He collapses at the intersection.”
Nocco said Rodriguez also shot the woman. She ran down the street to get away from him.
Nocco described this as a horrific scene, not only for the victims but also for the dispatchers who heard everything unfold during the call.
Deputies arrived at the scene and began rendering aid to the victims. The man was pronounced dead at the scene.
Three deputies, including one with a canine partner, approached the suspect who was in a nearby garage.
“The suspect has a gun,” Nocco said. “They start ordering the suspect to drop the gun. He does not drop the gun. Shots start being fired.”
The canine handler was shot. The other two deputies continued moving toward the suspect. The suspect was hit in the exchange.
Nocco was proud of how the deputies handled themselves during the tense scene.
“We tell people if you put your hand on something hot, like a boiling pot, your hand is going to burn,” Nocco said. “If you play with glass, it’s going to cut. If you point a gun at a Pasco deputy, you’re going to get shot. And that’s what happened today. There’s no apologies. There’s no sympathy. He got shot. I feel horrible for the victims.”
The deputy, woman and suspect were all taken to the hospital. The deputy did not have life-threatening injuries. His canine partner was also OK. Nocco said he wasn’t aware of the status of Rodriguez or the woman when he spoke to reporters about the incident.
The FDLE investigation is standard protocol with deputy-involved shootings. The deputies who fired the shots have been placed on paid administrative leave, in keeping with policy.
The sheriff’s office described the shooting as an isolated incident, assuring the public there was no safety threat.
“It’s an absolute horrible incident that occurred,” Nocco said. “It all happened because the suspect did not, one, just be a normal person and allow people to go about their business and clean a lot – their own lot. Second, when you get orders to drop a gun from a Pasco deputy, you drop that gun. It’s that simple.”
