Police were called to investigate a dispute between Jeffrey Haarsma and his neighbor. The neighbor told police Haarsma had been giving her a hard time, took some of her belongings and threw them in the dumpster. The officer, 34-year-old Alison Savarese, said Haarsma appeared aggressive when she tried talking with him. As she tried to detain him, he allegedly refused and pushed back so she tackled him to the ground. Once they got up, Haarsma grabbed her around the neck, and she shot and killed him.
Killer: Alison Savarese
Agency: St. Petersburg Police Department
Motive: domestic disturbance (neighbor dispute)
Confrontation Type: Domestic Disturbance
Service Call: Yes
Body Camera: No
Official Disposition: Pending investigation
Victim Name: Jeffrey Scott Haarsma
Death Date: August 7, 2020
County: Pinellas
Geography: Suburban
Gender: Male
Age: 55
Race: White
Cause of Death: Gunshot
Criminal Charges: No known charges
Mental Illness: Yes
Armed: Unarmed/Did Not Have Actual Weapon
Weapon: no object
Threat Level: attack
Fleeing: Not fleeing
Washington Post Database ID: 6036