Man shot by police in Pasco had long record

That is, until Friday night, when New Port Richey police responded to a call about a domestic disturbance at 6130 Corson Ave. They found Lee outside his apartment complex, ranting and holding a butcher's knife, said Lt. Jeffrey Harrington.

Lee ran toward the two officers, Harrington said. Cpl. Matt Berry drew his gun and shot twice, killing him.

It remains unclear why Lee charged at the officers, or what sparked the disturbance.

It will be up to investigators to determine whether the shooting was justified. Berry also had a Taser but did not use it.

New Port Richey police are conducting an internal investigation. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Pinellas-Pasco State Attorney's Office are also investigating.

Berry, a veteran officer, is on paid administrative leave until the investigations are complete.

Harrington said Berry's decision to use his gun was prompted by how quickly the situation occurred. "There are times with such a rapid escalation of force that police respond in a specific way," Harrington said Monday. "They had Tasers, but the officer made a snap decision to use appropriate force."

Friday's incident was not the first time Berry has fired at a suspect during his 10-year career in New Port Richey.

In 2001, Berry was one of eight law enforcement officers who fired weapons during a 15-minute police chase in New Port Richey.

During the chase, the suspect rammed into six police cruisers and tried to run down more than one officer.

The year before, the American Legion Paradise Post 79 named Berry its Law Officer of the Year for his positive attitude and community work teaching bicycle safety at elementary schools.

On Monday afternoon, no one answered the door at Lee's apartment. Little is known about him aside from his criminal record, which includes a host of convictions for obtaining property using bad checks.

In October of 1993, a charge of battery against a pregnant spouse was dropped. A month later, an aggravated battery charge was also dropped. Lee's last offense was a 1999 probation violation in Pinellas County on a DUI charge.

Comments on this article

by Jimmy B	Nov 24, 2008 8:47 PM
Good shooting, Matt. Let's try to get it down to one shot next time and save the taxpayers some money .

by John	Nov 23, 2008 7:48 AM
Just wondering, why didn't Lee use his hands instead of a knife. Threaten deadly force and what response do you expect. Doesn't matter whether he walked or ran or what kind of knife. Split second decision, officer safe, necessary outcome.

by RIP	Nov 22, 2008 10:37 PM
The taser kills too, This is all too sad. My prayers are with everyone involved.

by Blame Who?	Nov 22, 2008 10:25 PM
Good guy Good cop one does his job better than the other! I blame whoever called for the deputy to come out!

by JJJ	Nov 22, 2008 1:19 PM
My heart is with his kids! Why were the cops called if he was a good man? If they didn't come out it wouldn't of happened. He should have been tased but that doesn't mean he would have dropped the knife. Bless both sides!

by Kendra	Nov 22, 2008 1:17 PM
Your family member chose to challenge a Police Officer. Your family member chose to advance towards a Police Officer. Your family member brought a weapon towards a Police Officer. Your family member chose to end his life not the Police Officer.

by Jason	Nov 22, 2008 1:16 PM
Law Enforcement Officers are trained to "STOP A THREAT." Officers are trained to shoot "CENTER MASS" of the target thus giving them the greatest area to strike the target. Corporal Berry responded to a "DEADLY FORCE" encounter with appropriate force.

by Victoria & Glenn	Nov 21, 2008 7:53 PM
I am the daughter of a close friend of Mark and I disagree on the article because he would not do that & he is a great man that, I known my whole life & that was not the right thing to do when you had a taser. Will be missed deeply by the both of us.

by Candi	Nov 21, 2008 7:37 PM
Why is it always deadly force? Couldn't the cop have tasered this man? Or shot him in the arm which was holding the knife. It is kind of sad that are officer's are trained to kill before any other actions taken first. Guy had a record, so kill him??

by Laurie	Nov 21, 2008 6:11 PM
Voxy, you say that everyone has a right to go home. The man who was shot forfeited that right when he attacked a New Port Richey cop with a butcher knife......the officer did well. He reacted to circumstances that were dictated by an armed man.

by shorty misses you uncle mark	Nov 21, 2008 6:02 PM
he definitely wasnt running or charging the police he walked!!! get it right and to anyone who doesnt kno crap my uncle was a gold man had a heart of gold n now cuz of cops he has 2 small children who will never know there dad cuz of stupid cops

by shorty misses you uncle mark	Nov 21, 2008 6:02 PM
the cops were in the wrong the had a taser but oped not to use it and used deadly force killing my uncle, and the reporter who wrote this story is wrong too, get the facts straight before writing the story, he didn't have a butcher knife

by CL	Nov 21, 2008 4:18 PM
WHY DOE A CRIMINAL RECORD HAS TO BE MENTION WHENEVER A PERSON IS SHOT BY A POLICE OFFICER?

by Todd	Nov 20, 2008 8:18 PM
My family members dont run around with butcher knives in thier hands. And secondly, the officer has the right to go home to his family. I think his defense should be called "Idiot came at me with a knife. So I shot the dummy" Give the man a raise!

by Denise	Nov 20, 2008 7:22 PM
Ironically, after reading the comments below, most of those against the officer's actions are almost illiterate posts, while the others are intelligible. Does education play a role here? Obviously. Thank you Matt, for putting your life on the line.

by Stick to flippin burgers	Nov 20, 2008 7:01 PM
So continue to sit and sweat in your stinky desk chair, eating your microwave mac and cheese in mass quanities, waiting for the next story about a cop comes out so you can make ignorant uninformed comments....disgusting.

by Stick to flippin burgers	Nov 20, 2008 7:00 PM
This is why the officer did not use the taser, and this particular incident only happened a month and a half ago. And Voxy what exactly is it that you do? I would venture to guess it has something to do with collecting a monthly government check.

by ash	Nov 20, 2008 3:35 PM
Who ever is saying "MATT" was right umm try having a cop kill one of your close family members..yeah then you know you wouldnt be on the cops side and FYI he could of tazed him then ran behind his cop car and the pointed his gun at him not shoot him!

by LEO GIRL	Nov 20, 2008 1:57 PM
FYI all in training when you have someone running at you with a knife you have 20 seconds to determine what the outcome will be. I dont know about you but I want to go home to my family. Can you make that split decision if you were in his shoes?

by voxy	Nov 19, 2008 9:13 PM
same bunch of hard core cop lovers jumping on here. We're not saying he was WRONG. we're saying he had OTHER OPTIONS> stick up for all humans not just cops. Everyone has a right to 'go home alive' I HAVE FAMILY IN LEO. SO that's a washed theory.

by Someone who knows	Nov 19, 2008 8:03 PM
Matt, You did right. These people who say you did wrong don't know. I bet if they had a family member in law enforcement then they'd change their tune. Go home alive. Bad guy knew what he was doing. I commend you Matt. Keep up the good work.

by Stephen	Nov 19, 2008 5:04 PM
I love all you armchair quarterbacks. Have an angry man with a Butcher knive charge you. A deadly weapon was met with a deadly response. Officer did exactly what he should have, and fortunately only the bad guy was hurt. Officer Berry I commend you.

by MEGAN	Nov 19, 2008 5:04 PM
I WAS THERE. THE VICTIM CHARGED THE OFFICER WITH A LARGE FANTASY LOOKING KNIFE.HE PROTECTED HIMSELF THE SAME WAY HE WOULD HAVE PROTECTED A CIVILIAN.END OF STORY.

by SLAPPY	Nov 19, 2008 3:44 PM
DON'T BRING A KNIFE TO A GUN FIGHT

by lola	Nov 18, 2008 7:22 PM
Maybe the writers should ask the family about him instead the media!

by Darlene	Nov 18, 2008 2:55 PM
The family of Mark Lee is very upset with this story!Some facts were very wrong. The story makes him look like a very bad criminal. He was a good man. Before the story prints, the editor should get her facts straight and ask the family about him!

by Kellie	Nov 18, 2008 2:54 PM
First off that cop could of tazerd him insted..i think the cop got trigger happy!And that he should deff get in trouble for what he did im one of his family members and i know that he wouldnt charge an officer!Witnesses told his family he walked!!

by ff	Nov 18, 2008 2:23 PM
42 yrs old wasnt runnin to damm fast ,,the cop over reacted he could have went around the car and waited to see and shot his tazer just pulling out your gun and never told him to stop police,,this is crap.. sure pay him but relize that his desison is

by jullio	Nov 18, 2008 2:18 PM
holiday season and its going to be a long one,,people want this and want that,, but have no money ,,watch the jails start filling up. with the dumbest of people..from ten to nintey,,it takes all kinds,,mostly yankees just cant handle the pressure,,,

by Larry	Nov 18, 2008 1:23 PM
Sounds justified to me. Charge an officer with a knife and you are gonna get shot. That officer has a right to defend himself and go home to his family and children. Sounds to me that the only person using bad judgement got shot in this case.

by Eric	Nov 18, 2008 1:23 PM
Thank you Officer for keeping us safe.

by KATHY	Nov 18, 2008 1:22 PM
Officer Matt Berry, we support you..I have known you for alot of years and you have been and always will be an awesome cop.