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MAN ARMED WITH SWORD SHOT BY POLICE
OFFICERS INITIALLY DEPLOYED 'LESS LETHAL' BEANBAG ROUND
A 20-year-old Clearwater
man armed with a Samurai sword was shot by Clearwater Police Thursday
night inside his eastern Clearwater apartment.
When a beanbag projectile
- fired from a shotgun delivering "less-lethal" rounds
- failed to subdue the armed man, he was shot at least once with
a department-issued .40 caliber handgun.
The man, JOSHUA PAUL
ROSENBLOOM (06-27-85), of 200 Fairwood Avenue, apartment 8, was
pronounced dead at Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg, about
90 minutes after the 6:31 p.m. event.
Both police officers
have been placed on administrative leave with pay, in accordance
with department policies.
The event began at 6:28
when Rosenbloom's female roommate called Clearwater Police, concerned
that the 20-year-old was possibly suicidal. The woman told a police
call-taker that Rosenbloom had taken pills, that he was armed with
a sword, and that she feared he would be dead by the time police
arrived.
When officers entered
the second-floor apartment, Rosenbloom was behind a closed door.
Officer Robert Furman was carrying a "less lethal" bean-bag-shooting
shotgun; Officer George Phillips was armed with his department-issued
.40-caliber handgun.
Within seconds of the
officers walking into the apartment, they were confronted by the
sword-wielding man. Officer Furman fired one bean-bag from his weapon;
the projectile struck Rosenbloom in the chest, but the man was not
subdued. Officer Phillips fired at least one round, and Rosenbloom
fell to the floor.
He was treated at the
scene by Clearwater Fire Department paramedics before being flown
by helicopter to Bayfront, where he died during surgery.
Clearwater Police Office
of Professional Standards (Internal Affairs) Investigators will
determine if the officers' actions were in compliance with department
policies and general orders; Criminal Investigations Division Detectives
are conducting an investigation into the circumstances of the shooting
event itself. And the Pinellas-Pasco State Attorney's Office is
conducting its own independent investigation.
This is the extent of
information available regarding this case at this time. Additional
details will be made public as circumstances warrant. Inquiries
may be directed to Public Information Officer Wayne Shelor at 727-562-4333.
/s/
Dewey Williams
Deputy Chief of Police
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