A Tampa police officer shot a 32-year-old mentally ill woman after she stabbed him in the neck Saturday, police said.
Officer Matt Smith was in stable condition at Tampa General Hospital Saturday evening, said police spokesman Capt. Bob Guidara. The woman, Glenda Powell, was in critical condition with a gunshot wound to the chest.Police say Johnnie Matthews, Powell's mother, called 911 after her daughter threatened suicide.
Authorities say that when Smith arrived at Powell's East Tampa home in the 3100 block of N 29th Street, Powell was standing outside. Smith approached her. Powell went inside the home and Smith followed.Inside, Powell picked up a steak knife and ran at Smith, officials said. Smith sprayed her with Mace. As he backed out of the house, he stumbled backward and fell to the ground. Powell leaped onto Smith and stabbed him in the right side of the neck, authorities said.Smith drew his 9mm handgun and shot Powell in the chest.
The incident comes one month to the day that Tampa police Chief Steve Hogue announced a $500,000 plan to outfit officers with Tasers, which use nonlethal electrical jolts to subdue people.Smith, a nine-year veteran of the Police Department who works as a patrol officer, did not have a Taser.No officers are equipped with Tasers yet, Guidara said. "We've ordered them, (but are) still waiting to undergo training," he said.Guidara said the department intends to have a good part of the patrol staff armed with Tasers within six months.Following standard department procedure, Smith was placed on administrative leave pending an investigation into the shooting. But Guidara said the officer responded appropriately."There was no violation of procedure and the officer acted within the scope of his training and instincts and was able to save himself in this case," he said."As the officer approached, this immediately developed, giving him no time to make an assessment, and the only time he was given was the time to defend himself."Not so, said Matthews, Powell's mother.In an interview from her East Tampa home, Matthews said she regrets calling the police.She said her daughter, whom she calls "Moochie" because of her chubby cheeks as a baby, suffers from schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and psychosis.Matthews agreed that Powell was suicidal, that she was outside pacing back and forth when Smith arrivedand that she re-entered the home and Smith followed.That's where the Police Department's and Matthews' accounts begin to differ.Police say Powell entered the home and picked up a steak knife. Matthews said Powell was trying to pick up a red bag with a few of her belongings so she could leave - willingly - with Smith. But Powell didn't want Smith in the home as she gathered her things, Matthews said.She asked him why he was inside the home, but he didn't answer, Matthews said.Moments later, Smith started spraying Mace in all directions, Matthews said. Even Matthews and her 25-year-old son were sprayed, she said. That's when Powell picked up the knife.Matthews said although she believes the Police Department needs to do a better job training officers who come into contact with mentally ill suspects, right now she's glad that no one, including Smith, died.But she said that next time, the police won't be involved."I'll get me a rope, tie her up and put her in the car and take her (to the hospital) myself," she said