By Robbyn Mitchell, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
TAMPA — An officer stopped a knife attack outside St. Joseph's Children's Hospital by shooting and injuring the attacker Tuesday night, police said.
The altercation began when Tampa police got a call that the drivers of two vehicles near the hospital were shouting at each other in traffic.
Officer Alexander Moreno responded and couldn't find the fight, so he checked with hospital security. When he came outside at 9:55 p.m., the attack was in progress, police said.
The father of a 16-year-old girl at the hospital, Yoel Leon, was slashing with a knife at Carlos Lao, who police said is the boyfriend of Leon's estranged wife.
Moreno order Leon to drop the knife — but when he continued attacking, the officer shot him, police said.
Leon was taken to the emergency room and was reported in stable condition with non-life-threatening injuries. Lao was not injured. Moreno was placed on administrative leave while the investigation is under way.
No charges had been filed Tuesday night.