Matthew Fowler reportedly exchanged gunfire with two TPD officers last year near the Azula North Apartments.
TAMPA, Fla. — A jury reached a verdict Thursday for a Tampa man who is accused of shooting at law enforcement early last year.
It happened in February 2025 on East Busch Boulevard near the Azula North Apartments. Convicted felon Matthew Fowler reportedly fired a gun at officers.
The officers involved in the shooting, Det. Amy Jones and Cpl. Kaitlyn Ford were not injured, the department previously said. They were reportedly conducting follow-up investigations on an unrelated robbery at the apartment complex before coming into contact with Fowler, who was on a bike.
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Fowler could be seen “trying to enter vehicles and apartment doors,” officers said.
Bodycam video shared by TPD shows the two officers approaching Fowler before asking for his I.D. Shortly after, a struggle ensued before Fowler allegedly pulled out a gun and fired at them.
One officer returned fire, but Fowler was able to get away on foot, the department said. After police established a perimeter, Fowler was arrested.
After the incident, Fowler was hit with numerous charges, including two counts of attempted first-degree murder of a law enforcement officer. He was also charged with resisting an officer with violence. On Thursday, a jury found him guilty on all charges with a mandatory life sentence.
The full video can be viewed below:
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