Tampa, Florida

From Tampa’s tbo.com of January 10, 2007

Dispute At Gas Station Leads To Fatal Shooting

Police are investigating whether a fatal shooting at a gas station is a case of self defense.

Police say the shooter, identified as Rodney Rivera, told them a man got out of a black Honda Civic at the Stop and Pick gas station, 1815 W. Waters Avenue, about 9 p.m. Tuesday and tried to kill him.

"It sounds like the victim was making some crazy accusations," said Tampa Police Lt. Jill Kwiatkowski.

The man twice slammed a car door on Rivera's leg, according to police, and may have tried to stab him. After failing to push the attacker away, Rivera said, he shot the man once in the torso.

Rivera dialed 911 and remained at the scene.

Police have identified the victim as 24-year-old Eric Suarez, Jr. He was pronounced dead at St. Joseph's Hospital in Tampa.

No charges have been filed.

This is the fourth homicide of the new year, according to Tampa police. Detectives are treating this as a manslaughter, not a murder, investigation.