Police said the mother of four was shot inside a city front-end loader before the suspect fled to Lee County.
ST. PETERSBURG, FL — A 47-year-old St. Petersburg sanitation worker and mother of four was shot and killed Wednesday while sitting inside a city work vehicle, and a suspect was later taken into custody following a standoff on Interstate 75, police said.
Officers responded at about 12:35 p.m. July 22 to the 4100 block of 12th Avenue South in the Childs Park neighborhood. They found the woman inside the cab of a front-end loader after she had been shot several times, according to St. Petersburg police. Her name had not been publicly released as of Thursday.
Police Chief Anthony Holloway said investigators believe the shooting was targeted, domestic in nature and not a random attack. Authorities said an argument occurred before the gunman entered the loader’s cab and opened fire. Police did not immediately describe the relationship between the woman and the suspect.
The woman had worked for the city for about 10 years, police said. Holloway described her as a mother of four. The city arranged grief counselors for employees Wednesday afternoon and Thursday as co-workers learned of her death.
Authorities began searching for the suspect after the shooting. Florida Highway Patrol troopers later located him traveling south on Interstate 75 in Lee County, more than 100 miles from St. Petersburg, according to police.
The encounter led to a law enforcement response near Alico Road in the Fort Myers area. Traffic records showed a roadblock on southbound I-75 near mile marker 131, while authorities closed portions of the highway during the standoff. The disruption caused significant delays in both directions.
Police said the suspect barricaded himself inside a vehicle and shots were fired during the confrontation. He suffered serious injuries and was taken to Gulf Coast Medical Center, where he remained hospitalized in law enforcement custody. Authorities had not said whether his wound was self-inflicted or caused by gunfire from officers or deputies.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating the use of force during the Lee County encounter. St. Petersburg detectives are continuing the homicide investigation. The suspect’s name, potential charges and an expected court date had not been released by Thursday.
Author note: Last updated July 23, 2026.