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Video: Woman brandishes gun, rams into Fla. cruisers during pursuit before OIS

An MRAP vehicle performed a successful PIT maneuver to stop the fleeing woman, who identified herself to officers as a “CIA agent”

PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Authorities have released body and dash camera footage of a woman shot by Pinellas County deputies after fleeing a traffic stop, ramming cruisers and brandishing a gun, WFTS reported.

The incident began on April 1 when deputies attempted to stop a vehicle driven by a 65-year-old woman. According to St. Petersburg Police, the agency leading the investigation, the driver was initially found stopped in the middle of an intersection and refused commands to move her vehicle into a parking lot.

In the video, the woman can be heard identifying herself as a CIA agent before rolling up her window and driving away.

Deputies pursued her vehicle for approximately 35 minutes, attempting multiple stops, video shows. Deputies deployed stop sticks, but the suspect continued to flee with flat tires.. After a brief standoff where officers spotted her holding a gun, the woman tried to flee again.

The video then cuts to a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle performing a successful PIT maneuver, turning the fleeing vehicle around. Footage then shows the vehicle driving directly toward the cruisers that were behind the specialized vehicle.

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Authorities say non-lethal methods, including bean bags and pepper balls, were used in an effort to disable the vehicle after the car crashed into other cars during the pursuit.

The woman continued to flee, striking cruisers and waving the gun, prompting deputies to fire their weapons. She was struck several times, according to the report.

St. Petersburg Police have not yet released further details about her condition or any potential charges. The investigation is ongoing.

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Joanna Putman is an Associate Editor and newswriter at Police1, where she has been covering law enforcement topics since August 2023. Based in Orlando, Florida, she holds a journalism degree from the University of Florida and spent two years working in nonprofit local newsrooms, gaining experience in community-focused reporting. Married to a law enforcement officer, she works hard to highlight the challenges and triumphs of those who serve and protect. Have a news tip? Email her at news@lexipol.com