Deputy Shoots Grandmother in Fast-Paced Home Entry
A 46-year-old Tampa, Florida, woman was shot to death by a deputy after an incident in which the woman shot her daughter in the hand.
Rosamond Brookins, 46, was shot to death by a Hillsborough County deputy early on May 25 after deputies responded to what was initially reported as a burglary in progress, according to WESH-TV.
Deputy Chief Joseph Maurer of the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said Brookins, her daughter, grandchild and one other person described as a roommate were in the home.
Brookins shot her daughter in the hand as deputies arrived.
The roommate fled the house with the child, Maurer said.
After that, two teams of deputies entered the home. One team located the daughter, who appeared to be under the influence of a narcotic. She was taken to a local hospital.
“It looks like the suspect asked them to drink something,” Maurer said. “Very lethargic and couldn’t keep her balance.”
Brookins was found barricaded in a back room. Deputies said the door was locked, and Brookins ignored commands to open it.
After deputies entered the room, Brookins was on the floor. As shown in a video posted to YouTube, there was a gun in her hand.
The video did not show what came next, but Maurer said Brookins lifted the weapon, leading to a deputy opening fire, killing Brookins, according to WESH.
Grandmother Shot And Killed In Tampa By Hillsborough Deputy After Domestic Dispute#tampa #hillsboroughcounty
READ THE STORY HERE: https://t.co/D0PzXepeKM pic.twitter.com/pzIh71oAof
— Tampa Free Press (@tampafreepress) May 25, 2025
“She raises the firearm, and the deputy fires and neutralizes the threat,” Maurer said, according to WTSP-TV.
Police said multiple commands were issued for Brookins to drop the weapon, but those commands were ignored, according to WPBF-TV.
Deputy Joshua Thomas, who joined the Sheriff’s Office 10 months ago after six years with the Temple Terrace Police Department was identified as the officer who shot Brookins, according to WESH.
Maurer said Brookins had been asked to leave the house two days before the incident, and framed the incident as a domestic violence situation
“Domestic violence is the monster in everyone’s home,” he said. “We cannot police in your homes.”
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement will investigate the incident, according to WTVJ-TV.
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