A violent encounter outside a St. Petersburg restaurant yesterday night left an attempted carjack suspect hospitalized and facing charges, according to local police. Authorities reported that a man defended himself by shooting another man who tried to carjack his vehicle. The incident took place outside Crafty Crab on Tyrone Blvd, as described by WFLA News Channel 8.
The driver, whose identity was not disclosed, was waiting in his car while his wife went inside the restaurant to collect a food order. It was then that an 18-year-old suspect, later identified as Simon White, wearing a mask, attempted to suddenly commandeer the vehicle. According to the report by Tampa Bay Times, the husband managed to swiftly pull out his gun and shoot White.
After the shots were fired, White fled the scene and was subsequently admitted to Orlando Health Bayfront Hospital in critical but stable condition, as told by St. Pete police. No additional injuries were reported in the altercation, ensuring that this moment of potential catastrophe remained isolated. FOX 13 News indicated that once White is discharged from the hospital, he will be charged with attempted carjacking and occupied vehicle trespassing.
As the community grapples to understand such events, St. Petersburg law enforcement continues to actively investigate the circumstances surrounding the attempted carjacking.
