LAKE MARY, Fla. – A man died Tuesday night after he was shot by police in Lake Mary who were sent out to investigate a road-rage incident, officials said.
Police learned of the situation about 7:15 p.m., and went out to look into the circumstances.
A man reported the road-rage incident on Lake Mary Boulevard and provided a description of the suspect vehicle, which was a white SUV, to police.
"I was on Lake Mary Boulevard and a white Ford Explorer pulled off of I-4, merged extremely fast onto Lake Mary Boulevard. I honked my horn. Got up beside of him. I did yell at him a little bit. Look over at him. He pulls a gun out of his center console and shows it," the man told a 911 operator.
Officers with the Lake Mary Police Department found the SUV and said the driver, identified Wednesday as 34-year-old David Romansky, exited the vehicle with a gun in his hand.
Officers felt there was a threat to their safety, a police spokeswoman said in a news conference.
Police then opened fire, hitting Romansky. He didn’t have any passengers or anyone with him at the time.
Officials from the fire department just happened to be at the scene for a separate situation, and tried to render aid, but Romansky died before he could be taken to a hospital.
The three officers involved in the shooting are now on leave, which is standard protocol in cases such as these. One is a sergeant. All have been on the police force for at least four years, the police spokeswoman said. Their names have not been released.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating.
Additionally, the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office said it has many people to interview. Authorities will be reviewing body camera video and any surveillance video from nearby businesses.
The shooting happened near the Shoppes of Lake Mary, and witnesses said they heard the gunfire.
The morning after the shooting a News 6 photographer found several bullet casings in the parking lot and notified authorities. A Seminole County Crime Scene Investigations team team member came out to collect the .40 caliber casings.
Stay with News 6 and clickorlando.com for the latest information as it becomes available.
Major police presence in shopping center on Lake Mary Blvd. Witnesses say there was shooting, waiting on info. #news6 pic.twitter.com/RWyu8jbZc2
— Sachelle Saunders (@SachelleOnAir) May 16, 2018
Breaking: Woman describes hearing gunshots, seeing officers with guns drawn in #LakeMary shooting. #news6 pic.twitter.com/UmDdkgFWvP
— Sachelle Saunders (@SachelleOnAir) May 16, 2018