On a late last night in Hyde Park, what started as a suspected drug stop turned into a brief chase and a single police gunshot that hit no one, according to Tampa authorities. The incident unfolded around 11:30 p.m. yesterday, and the person officers pursued was ultimately taken into custody.
As reported by the Tampa Free Press, an officer on enhanced narcotics patrol spotted two people in an alley in the 400 block of South Howard Avenue and moved in to investigate suspected drug activity. One man bolted, reportedly dropping a small bag of narcotics as he ran. Officers later found 24-year-old Marco Fragoso hiding near a vehicle in the 400 block of South Albany Avenue. Police say the officer fired a single round after Fragoso made a motion toward his waistband. Fragoso was arrested at the scene and now faces charges of possession of cocaine, possession of drug paraphernalia, tampering with physical evidence and resisting arrest without violence.
Investigation and department response
The Tampa Police Department has placed the officer involved on administrative leave and opened a preliminary investigation, a step the city describes as standard whenever an officer fires a weapon. According to the City of Tampa, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement often assumes the lead role in officer-involved shooting cases in order to provide an outside review and promote transparency. Those formal reviews can proceed at the same time as any criminal case tied to the original stop.
What comes next
Authorities reported no injuries to either the officer or Fragoso. He remains in custody and will move through the criminal court process, where prosecutors will decide on the final charges and legal path forward. Tampa police say they plan to release additional details as the preliminary investigation continues.
