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St. Petersburg detective shot outside Blockbuster

In print: Thursday, May 1, 2008

Law officers gather at the Blockbuster Video at 5100 66th St. N late Wednesday. Police took three men into custody.
	[LARA CERRI | Times]

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ST. PETERSBURG — A St. Petersburg police detective was shot twice on Wednesday night trying to break up an armed robbery outside a Blockbuster store.

The plainclothes detective, whose name was not released, was in serious condition at Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg, according to police officials.

One of three suspects was shot in the lower body. The wound was described as non-life threatening.

The detective was on-duty conducting surveillance on the suspects with other detectives when the armed robbery took place at 10:58 p.m., police said.

Gary Muchmore, who was standing nearby outside Fast Eddie's bar, heard someone yell "freeze" as a man came out of the Blockbuster at 5100 66th St. N. He then saw the detective and a suspect exchange gunfire.

"I saw the flash of the muzzles and everyone hit the dirt," said Muchmore, 52. "Both of them went down."

Matthew Hoy, 16, said he saw a swarm of police cars go by his neighborhood.

"The whole neighborhood heard the shots," Hoy said, describing at least five or six loud bangs.

Frank James, 41, was hanging out at a local biker bar when he heard two or three shots. Then, he said, "Somebody just emptied a clip."

The noise startled James and others around him as they all dropped to the ground for protection. One of the stray bullets hit James' Chevy Avalanche parked across the street from the Blockbuster.

Police have taken three men into custody. They had not released their names or what role they played in the incident.

Officers swarmed the scene minutes after the shooting. They blocked off part of 66th Street.

Times staff writer Rebecca Catalanello contributed to this report.