The older brother of Jeff Lacy, Hydra Lacy Jr., was found dead in the home of a relative after a morning shootout with St. Petersburg, Florida police that left two officers killed. Hydra, 39-years-old, was discovered dead in his home after police had been searching for the suspect for quite some time and began tearing apart the house with a backhoe. He was identified using fingerprints after he was found.The two police officers pronounced dead after the shootout were Jeffrey Yaslowitz and Tom Baitinger. A deputy U.S. marshal was also shot twice but survived the incident. They went to the home of a relative of the suspect’s house this morning as he was wanted on an outstanding warrant for battery. His previous criminal history includes incidents of kidnapping, sexual assault and aggravated assault on a police officer.
The woman who answered the door told the officers that Hydra Lacy was upstairs in the attic, and could be armed. The policemen approached the attic and then were “ambushed” and shot from above as they tried to get the suspect to come down. St. Petersburg Police Chief Chuck Harmon said that he heard “150 to 200” gunshots during the firefight. After the gunfire ended, Hydra Lacy had apparently disappeared, until his eventual discovery in the home.
You can read more on the details of the shooting on CNN.com here. You can also see quotes from Winky Wright, St. Petersburg native and resident, who reached out to Jeff Lacy here.
Jeff Lacy, a former super middleweight champion who made four defenses of his title before losing to Joe Calzaghe in 2006 is also a former U.S. Olympic Boxer. ProBoxing-Fans.com sends our best wishes to Jeff Lacy and the rest of his family, as well as the families of the slain police officers and the other community members affected by today’s tragic events.
