A St. Petersburg police officer was killed in the line of duty on Monday night and a $50,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest of the the cop killer.
Officer David Crawford responded around 10:30 p.m. to the 700 block of 3rd Avenue South, following a call of a suspicious person in the area. Officer Donald J. Ziglar, 41, also went to the location. A resident had indicated to the St. Petersburg Police Department, a man was observed holding a broken brick in his hand and it was thought he was trying to commit a burglary in the area.
Officer Crawford searched the area in his police cruiser and found the man near the southwest corner of the intersection of 2nd Avenue South and 8th Street South.
Officer Crawford, parked his car and exited his vehicle to approach the man.
Around 10:37 p.m. Officer Ziglar reported an exchange of gunfire and found Officer Crawford lying on the pavement near his cruiser.
Officer Crawford sustained multiple gunshot wounds fired from close range. He was transported to Bayfront Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.
The suspect fled the area on foot. St. Petersburg Police Department K-9 teams tracked the suspect for several blocks until they lost the suspect’s scent. Police Officers with bloodhounds were also brought in and those teams produced the same results.
The suspect is described as a black male in his late teens or early twenties. He was wearing a dark-colored hoodie.
The FBI is offering a reward of $50,000, for information leading to the identification and arrest of the person or persons responsible for Officer Crawford’s Murder. Please call # 727-893-7780.
Officer Crawford is married to Donna, and he has a 24 year old daughter, Amanda.
