St. Petersburg, Florida

From the Tampa Tribune of June 16, 2005

Son Shoots, Kills Dad In Self-Defense, St. Pete Police Say

What started as a fight over respect for one's father - or the lack thereof - quickly deteriorated at a St. Petersburg home just before midnight Tuesday and culminated with a son fatally shooting his father, police said.

However, Ollie Latodd Flounary Jr., 20, is not likely to be charged in the shooting death of Ollie Latodd Flounary Sr., 43, because he apparently reacted in self-defense, St. Petersburg police said. At the time the son shot his father, the father was beating him with a 14-inch piece of iron pipe, Sgt. Mike Puetz said.

Puetz said the fight began when the telephone rang at the Flounary residence, at 2120 16th St. S.

Flounary Sr., a self- employed roofer, and Flounary Jr., a cook, answered the call from different telephones, but the caller was looking for the younger Flounary, Puetz said. The elder Flounary was asked to get off the line, the homicide sergeant said.

A fight broke out over the younger Flounary's failing to show respect for his father in handling the call, Puetz said.

Before long, each man was throwing the other's belongings out the window. At some point, the younger Flounary called his mother, who had moved out, to come to the house and help.

The mother arrived. Also in the house were another son of Flounary Sr. and Flounary Sr.'s mother, Puetz said. Flounary Jr.'s mother tried to mediate, but the fight continued to escalate, and it was decided the younger Flounary should move out, as well, the sergeant said.

Before walking out the door, the younger Flounary threw his father's stereo system out the window, Puetz said. Then the older Flounary retrieved the section of pipe and attacked his son, according to Puetz.

Among the personal possessions the younger Flounary had just packed from his room was a handgun, and he had it in his pocket when his father started beating him, Puetz said.

He pulled it out and shot his father once, Puetz said.

``He didn't see any other alternative at the moment,'' the sergeant said.

Flounary Jr., his mother and a neighbor put the elder Flounary in a car and drove him to Bayfront Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, Puetz said.