Live updates: $30,000 reward offered in Tampa officers' slayings

A woman wanted for questioning in connection with the deaths of two Tampa police officers has been taken into custody, authorities say.

Police launched a manhunt for Dontae Rashawn Morris, 24, and Cortnee' Nicole Brantley, 22, after Officer Jeffrey Kocab and Officer Dave Curtis were shot and left for dead this morning.

Officer Kocab, who had been with the department about 14 months, was married, and his wife is nine months pregnant. Officer Curtis, a four-year veteran of the department, was married with four young children.

Read the full story.

TBO.com is updating as news comes in:

2:25 p.m. Friends of the slain officers speak about their co-workers at a press conference.

On Officer Jeff Kocab:

Officer Jason Ward: "Jeff was a phenomenal officer, a real go-getter. He was a very active officer, very productive. He was one that would do right by the city. He would be out there looking for bad guys. He was the kind of guy you'd want to show up on your call. He just showed so much compassion and caring no matter who you were, victim or complainant. He was just a great, great person...He will be thoroughly missed."

Officer Whitney McCormick: "The man had more energy than probably this entire room combined. The main thing when it came to Jeff was his family and his wife. He was the kind of guy you could talk to, if you were having a bad day, he'd make you smile. He'd give you the shirt off his back and if he didn't even know you, he'd give it to you."

On Officer Dave Curtis:

Officer Whitney McCormick: "Dave loved the honor guard he thought it was a necessity to pay tribute to those who have given their lives in the line of duty...He loved his wife and four boys. He spent a lot of time with them and it's definitely something that came up in conversation almost every time we talked."

Officer Jeremy Larson: "Dave Curtis was more than just a badge or a uniform, he was a family man. If I had to use one word to summarize Dave, it was "dedicated." Dedicated to the job, dedicated to the community and more importantly, dedicated to his wife and his four boys...Every time I see Dave, it always brought a smile to my face because his smile - his demeanor - he's the kind of guy you'll be having a bad day and he brings a smile to your face."

2:15 p.m. The suspected driver of the red Toyota Camry, Cortnee' Brantley, is being questioned by detectives right now, Tampa police Chief Jane Castor says. She has not been charged at this time.

Dontae Morris will be charged with two counts of murder in the first degree and one count felony possession of a firearm, Castor says. The FBI is offering a $25,000 reward and Crime Stoppers is offering a $5,000 reward for information that leads to Morris' whereabouts and indictment, Castor says.

"He should be very scared. He should give himself up. That would be the smartest move he made today if he just called and gave himself up," Castor says.

Investigators are "piecing together" the relationship between Morris and Brantley, Castor says. She says after the shooting, Morris ran from the scene and Brantley drove away in the car. She does not know if they had contact with each other after that.

2:05 p.m.: The news conference is just beginning.

1:35 p.m.: Police Chief Jane Castor plans a news conference at 2 p.m. at their command center on 50th Street. We will carry the news conference live on TBO.

12:59 p.m.: Tampa police officers and Hillsborough County deputies have located Cortnee Brantley, Tampa police spokeswoman Laura McElroy said. A tip led detectives to the Bristol Bay Apartment Complex at 4809 Bristol Bay Way. She was found in apartment 202. Detectives also recovered the suspect vehicle at the complex, McElroy said.

12:44 p.m.: Donations can be made to the officers' families at the Tampa Bay Federal Credit Union. You can go to any TBFCU location to make a donation or mail it the Tampa Police Department, ATTN: The Fallen Officers' Memorial Fund.

12:31 CBS Outdoor digital billboards has offered the use of several billboards in Tampa to advertise information about the two people Tampa police want to question. Billboards are slated to go live at 1 p.m. at the following locations:

I-75, a half-mile north of S.R. 60 in Brandon

I-75, 1 mile south of Fowler Avenue

I-4, about 850 feet east of Martin Luther King

Dale Mabry Highway, a half-mile north of Hillsborough Avenue

Veteran's Expressway, 50 feet north of Waters Avenue

Hillsborough Avenue, .6 miles east of Race Track Road

12:05 p.m.: Crime Stoppers of Tampa Bay is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information that leads to the arrests and indictments of the suspects responsible for the murders of Tampa Police Officers David Curtis and Jeffrey Kocab. Tipsters can contact Crime Stoppers of Tampa Bay by phone, web, or text message 24 hours a day and remain completely anonymous.

Just call 1-800-873-TIPS(8477), report anonymously online at www.crimestopperstb.com or text "CSTB plus your tip" to C-R-I-M-E-S (274637).

11:52 a.m.: The level of interest in the Bristol Bay City View apartment complex jumps way up. More police cars, tactical response team vehicles and ambulances arrive.

11:38 a.m.: Police Chief Jane Castor has e-mailed her staff to say effective immediately, the department will remain in a state of mourning for seven days. Officers in uniform will wear black bands over their badges during this period. The department flag will fly at half-staff.

10:48 a.m.: Guns drawn, police are checking cars leaving the Bristol Bay City View apartment complex at 4900 Bristol Bay Way in Palm River.

"The stopped me and checked my trunk," said Bryan Cronin, a resident. "They had their guns drawn."

Police did not say what they were looking for, Cronin said. "But I know why they are here."

10:35 a.m.: Law enforcement officers have been collecting evidence since the shooting happened at 2:15 a.m.

"We would like to thank all of those from the various businesses and public that have donated food and drinks to all the law enforcement personnel that are actively working on the Tampa Police Department case where two officers were shot and killed during the early morning hours today," Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Debbie Carter said.

10:02 a.m.: Tampa police have uniform patrol officers, undercover officers, K-9 units and helicopters searching for the persons of interest. The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office provides deputies to help, Tampa police spokeswoman Laura McElroy said.

10:00 a.m.: Tampa police are at 4900 Bristol Bay Way, where a red Toyota Camry has been found.

9:57 a.m.: Information on the two individuals sought is about to go up on 10 billboards in three cities. Six are in Tampa, two are in Orlando and two are in Miami.

9:54 a.m.: "We do believe they may be dangerous," Tampa police spokeswoman Laura McElroy says of the pair the Tampa police want to question.

"To lose two officers less than a year after losing Cpl. Mike Roberts is a devastating blow," McElroy says. Roberts was killed in the line of duty in August.

9:40 a.m.: Tampa police want to talk to these two people about the shooting deaths. Dontae Rashawn Morris, 24, and Cortnee' Nicole Brantley, 22. Tampa police call them "persons of interest."

9:30 a.m.:The search for the man who killed two police officers may soon be going digital.

CBS Outdoor offers to assist police by using digital billboards in the city to advertise suspect information.

9:19 a.m.: Sweet Cohen tells a reporter that she was washing dishes in apartment A, 3212 N. 50th when she heard two gunshots about 2:15 a.m.

She said she immediately called 911 and reported that a bystander said "officer down on North 50th."

She said she walked to where the two officers were on the ground. The 911 dispatcher kept her on the line for about 10 to 12 minutes before transferring her to the Tampa Police Department operator for more information, she said.

About 5 minutes later, the first officers arrived on the scene, she said.

9:05 a.m. "It has just been heartwrenching as the family members have said goodbye to their loved ones," Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio said. "It has been an emotional time inside this hospital.

"I can't say enough about the families. They are both very brave families," she continued.

"They both have said their loved ones loved going to work every day, that it was the best job in the world."

Officer Dave Curtis leaves behind his wife, Kelly, and four children: Austin, 9; Sean, 6; Tyler, 5; and Hunter, 8 months.

Officer Jeffrey Kocab's wife, Sara, is nine months pregnant. The baby is due next week.

8:50 a.m. Chief Jane Castor said that while Curtis has been pronounced dead, his family has chosen to harvest his organs, so he will remain on life support for the next couple hours.

His organs are set to be donated.

"That speaks to the kind of man he is," Castor said.

8:30 a.m. Officer Dave Curtis is pronounced dead.

8:20 a.m. Officers have a perimeter set up from Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard to Interstate 4 and from 40th Street to 50th Street.

8:06 a.m.: The search for the suspects extends statewide. Anyone driving on 50th Street at the time of the shooting should call authorities at (813) 231-6130.

7:47 a.m.: As more police officers depart Tampa General Hospital, a convoy of sheriff's office cruisers arrives, lights and sirens on.

7:13 a.m.: Many of the police officers leave the hospital, grim-faced, some with red eyes, all declining to comment.

6:45 a.m.: Mayor Pam Iorio breaks down in tears after the news conference.

"This is an unbelievable tragedy," she had said during the news conference at Tampa General Hospital. "Our hearts are just breaking.

"We are doing everything possible to help the wives and their families. It's a very bleak day for Tampa. I can't tell you the sadness that surrounds every one of us right now."

6:30 a.m.: Police Chief Jane Castor and Mayor Pam Iorio announce that Officer Jeffrey Kocab has died from his injuries.

2:21 a.m. A passerby calls 911 to report two officers shot. Police and paramedics arrive and transport the officers to Tampa General Hospital.

2:15 a.m.: Tampa police officer Dave Curtis stops a red Toyota Camry for a missing tag near 50th Street and 23rd Avenue, police spokeswoman Laura McElroy said. The passenger is wanted on a misdemeanor warrant out of Jacksonville for a worthless check, so Curtis calls for backup and Officer Jeffrey Kocab comes to the scene.

Both officers are shot in the head at close range as they approach the passenger side of the Toyota, McElroy says.