Largo man with BB gun begs officers to shoot

A Largo man armed with a BB gun asked police officers to shoot him and got his wish early Saturday.

Largo police officers Lauren Bailey and Nick Cusumano shot Tony Wright Jr., 36, after Wright approached the officers, drew what appeared to be handgun from his waist and aimed it at the officers. Moments earlier, the man had wielded a knife and asked officers to shoot him.

Wright received “non life-threatening injuries” and was hospitalized, Largo Police said. He was charged with two counts of aggravated assault on a police officer. By 6:42 a.m., he was booked into Pinellas County Jail.

The officers approached Wright at about 12:20 a.m. Saturday on 8th Avenue SW near Taylor Park after is fiancé called police and told them he had a BB gun and planned to bait officers into shooting him. Police said the weapon was a Marksman BB gun and a realistic replica of a semi-automatic handgun.

Bailey and Cusumano, both four-year veterans, were placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation, a routine step in such cases.