Update: Tampa Chief Credits Shooter's Mom With His Surrender

TAMPA, FL - Tampa Police Chief Brian Dugan says a shooting involving two Tampa Police officers might have been much worse if the mother of the shooter hadn't intervened.

At a press conference Monday, March 19, Dugan credited the mother of Walter Richard Jeziorski, 35, of Drew Park with convincing her son to put down his guns and give himself up to police after opening fire on two officers who came to his home to serve a warrant.

Dugan said 10-year Tampa Police veteran Richard Lehr and his partner, Officer Leigh Smith, a three-year member of the department, both part of the department's anti-crime squad, were serving a routine warrant Monday morning to Jeziorski at his home at the Hubert Avenue Villa Apartments, 4605 N Hubert Ave., Apt. #7, Dugan said the officers were speaking to Jeziorski at his front door when he suddenly opened fire on them with an assault rifle.

Dugan said Jeziorski shot seven rounds. The officers returned fire. During the gunfight, Lehr was shot in the arm. He was treated and released from St. Joseph's Hospital in Tampa.

In addition to the assault rifle, Dugan said Jeziorski had a 9 mm pistol on him.

"There was no reason to believe it was going to end like this," Dugan said. "Our cops are put in situations that change in a matter of seconds."

Dugan said he was asleep when he got the call from his department.

"I knew the number and I knew it was not going to be good but I certainly didn’t expect to hear a police officer had been shot," Dugan said.

He arrived at the scene in a matter of minutes. He said they were awaiting the arrival of the department's SWAT team when Jeziorski phoned his mother and she convinced him to give himself up.

Dugan said Jeziorski has a history of violence, most of it directed toward his family. The warrant was for threatening to harm or kill family members.

Dugan believes Jeziorski took both guns from his father without his father's consent. He said the family rushed to the scene and were very cooperative.

Lehr was treated for his gunshot wound as well as an injury to his leg and is now home from the hospital.

Despite injuring his ankle, Smith stayed on the scene until Jeziorski was arrested. He was treated and released from the hospital as well.

Jeziorski has been charged with two counts of attempted murder in the second degree of a law enforcement officer.

Image via Tampa Police