TAMPA – The man charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of a man outside a Seffner home on May 14 had his first court appearance on Tuesday.

Two days after the shooting, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office developed a suspect, Kristopher Bridges, who was seen driving a red pickup truck.

Courtesy: Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies developed enough information to pull Bridges over and that’s when he intentionally crashed into a sheriff’s office vehicle and drove away.

The pursuit continued into Thonotosassa where deputies conducted a PIT maneuver and successfully stopped Bridges’ vehicle after it crashed into a TECO pole.

Bridges then attempted to flee on foot but was quickly taken into custody.

The backstory:

In the weeks that followed, detectives learned that Bridges shot Michael Workman, 31, with the help of a woman, 39-year-old Tara Weimer.

HCSO says that Weimer assisted Bridges by knocking on the front door of the victim’s residence and luring him outside. 

Deputies say Bridges, who was armed with a handgun, was standing outside and intentionally shot Workman multiple times, resulting in his death. 

PREVIOUS: Man shot & killed, homicide investigation underway: HCSO

Charges

Kristopher Bridges

• Aggravated fleeing to elude
• Aggravated assault on law enforcement officer with deadly weapon
• Resisting officer without violence
• Reckless driving with property damage or personal injury
• Out of county warrant CT1 aggravated assault-weapon with deadly weapon without intent to kill
• Out of county warrant CT2 possession of weapon or ammo by convicted Florida felon
• Aggravated assault with deadly weapon
• Robbery with a firearm ($750 or More but Less Than $20,000)
• First-degree murder with a firearm (premeditated)
• Felon in possession of a firearm
• Tampering with physical evidence relating to a capital felony

Tara Weimer

• Accessory after the fact
• Tampering with physical evidence relating to a capital felony

Sheriff Chad Chronister says that those who impose violence on this community will be held accountable.

“When you choose violence in our community, you choose the consequences,” said Chronister. “There’s no excuse, no justification, and no way to avoid accountability. Our detectives worked quickly to deliver justice and ensure those responsible are held fully accountable for their actions.”

The investigation is ongoing.

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