SARASOTA, Fla. — Sarasota Police Department officers exchanged gunfire Monday morning near the New College of Florida with a person who they said had an active warrant for their arrest.
The college earlier alerted the public around 8 a.m. to the shooting in the area of University Parkway and U.S. Highway 41. The westbound lanes of University Parkway were closed from U.S. 41 to Old Bradenton Road for several hours.
In a brief update Monday afternoon, a police spokesperson said the shooting resulted after officers attempted to stop someone who had an active warrant in Sarasota County. Police said they were not able to elaborate further.
Sarasota police have not released many details about the shooting, but said the suspect is "not at large." The public is also not in danger, the agency added.
Police said the Florida Department of Law Enforcement is taking over the case. The officers involved have been put on administrative leave, per the agency's protocol. No other updates on the shooting will come from Sarasota, a spokesperson confirmed.
Video from Sky 10 showed a car submerged in a pond in the area. As of noon Monday, the car was pulled out of the pond by a tow truck. While unconfirmed by police at this time, it appears the car is related to the shooting investigation.
People are asked to avoid the area.
Speaking with a nearby resident, he said there was an explosive gunfire exchange.
"You could just hear 'pop, pop, pop, pop, pop, pop, pop.' At least 15 plus rounds go off," he told 10 Tampa Bay. "You know at that moment it was not gun — I mean, fireworks. It was gunshots."