St. Petersburg Officers Tom Baittinger & Jeffrey Yaslowitz Shot & Killed While Serving Battery Warrant on Hydra Lacy Jr.

St. Petersburg, Fla., police officers Tom Baittinger & Jeffrey Yaslowitz while serving domestic battery warrant on Hydra Lacy Jr.

Two more police officers have been killed in the line of duty. St. Petersburg, Fl., Police Department has lost officers Tom Baittinger and Jeffrey Yaslowitz, who were shot to death, and a U.S. marshal injured, early Monday morning as they tried to serve a domestic battery warrant at a local home. According to the St. Petersburg Times, the officers went to the home to arrest Hydra Lacy Jr. Both officers were married and one had children.

A group of five St. Petersburg police officers stood around a cruiser outside Yaslowitz's home in northwest Hillsborough County. Some in uniform, some not, all looked grief stricken. Sgt. David Barr, who supervised Yaslowitz's unit and was in his police vehicle further down the road, said the officers needed time before speaking about their colleague, but called him "the best." The officers were shot Monday morning after approaching a home where suspect Hydra Lacy Jr. was being served a U.S. Marshal's warrant through a fugitive task force. Source: St. Petersburg Times

It is a shame that over a period of 48 hours we have had four officers shot, two more dead and one U.S. marshall shot. Law enforcement is charged with protecting the public but who is charged with protecting them? This is a disgrace.

UPDATE#1:  Suspect found dead in home.