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Officer Hit By Car, Fires Shot

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By CARLOS MONCADA, The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 2, 2007

ST. PETERSBURG - A police officer was injured by a hit-and-run driver Saturday morning while dispersing a crowd gathered at a food store.

The incident happened about 2:20 a.m. at the Food Max Store, 1400 18th Ave. S. Police said late-night crowds have been gathering at the store on Fridays and Saturdays for the past few weeks.

The patrol officer, Brian Burton, 23, was clearing traffic from the area when he was struck by a white Cadillac that had accelerated toward him, police said. Burton was knocked onto the car's hood and rolled off onto the pavement. He fired one round from his handgun before the Cadillac drove off, police said.

Burton was treated at a local hospital for bumps and bruises and released, police spokesman Bill Proffitt said in a statement.

Police later spotted the Cadillac, pursuing it to the area of 20th Avenue South and 30th Street South, where the occupants fled on foot.

A Pinellas County Sheriff's Office helicopter and St. Petersburg K-9 officers searched the area. They took one person into custody who was a passenger in the Cadillac. He later was released without charges and is considered a witness in the case. Police are withholding his name.

No bullet holes were found in the recovered Cadillac, Proffitt said. Investigators are still working to identify the driver and another passenger. There are no indications they were injured, police said.

Police internal affairs is conducting an administrative investigation, which is standard procedure in an officer-involved shooting.

Reporter Carlos Moncada can be reached at (727) 451-2333 or cmoncada@tampatrib.com.

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