TAMPA — A man accused of shooting at Hillsborough sheriff's deputies responding to a domestic disturbance call in Carrollwood this week now faces two counts of attempted murder.
Angel Jordanny Rodriguez Aviles, 21, of Tampa opened fire on Cpl. Brian LaVigne and Deputy Michael Diaz after they responded to a 911 call about 2:15 p.m. Thursday, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.
The deputies returned fire, shooting Aviles in the leg. The deputies were not injured.
Witnesses told investigators that Aviles was agitated when he came to 11010 Streamside Drive looking for his girlfriend. He demanded the woman leave with him and grabbed her. When a witness tried to intervene, Aviles drew a handgun and fired a single round into the ground, deputies said.
Aviles and his girlfriend started walking south on Streamside Drive. A witness told him deputies had been called, and Aviles said law enforcement would have to kill him, according to the Sheriff's Office.
Aviles and his girlfriend got into a physical fight and fell to the ground. LaVigne, dressed in his standard uniform, arrived and saw Aviles had a gun. At that point, Aviles was arguing with his girlfriend and a witness near Streamside and Taywood drives.
LaVigne drew his sidearm and ordered Aviles to drop his weapon, a Glock 23 .40-caliber handgun. The Sheriff's Office said Aviles shot at LaVigne, and the girlfriend and the witness dropped to the ground to avoid being hit.
Diaz, also wearing his uniform, arrived and opened fire on Aviles, and both deputies took cover behind LaVigne's car. Aviles got a clear view of the deputies and fired again. The deputies returned fire. Each time they tried to take cover, Aviles maneuvered and advanced toward to them. Bullets struck the fender, window, windshield and hood of LaVigne's patrol cruiser.
The deputies continued to shoot as they moved to the other side of the car. Aviles was shot twice in his left leg, fell to the ground and stopped shooting. The deputies administered first aid, and Aviles was taken to St. Joseph's Hospital for treatment.
In an interview after his arrest, Aviles admitted to shooting at the deputies, according to the Sheriff's Office. He was released from the hospital and booked Friday into the Orient Road Jail on two counts of attempted first-degree murder of a law enforcement officer.
He was being held without bail Friday.
Aviles was arrested as a juvenile in 2010 on a domestic battery charge in Hillsborough, the Sheriff's Office said. He has no other prior arrests in Florida, records show.
Times senior news researcher John Martin contributed to this report. Contact Tony Marrero at tmarrero@tampabay.com or (813) 226-3374. Follow @tmarrerotimes.