By Fallan Patterson
Staff Writer

St. Cloud police Wednesday morning shot and killed an armed woman at 418 Alabama Ave., in what began as a domestic dispute between the woman and her female roommate.

According to St. Cloud Police, officers were called out to 431 Tennessee Ave. around 9:24 a.m. over the domestic dispute that began when Elba Luz Cartagena, 25, was asked to move out by her roommate, police officers said. Before officers arrived, Cartagena had fired off a gun in the home.

The roommate went outside and when police arrived, Cartagena fled on foot. When police caught up to her on Alabama Avenue, she raised the firearm at the officers, St. Cloud Police Chief Pete Gauntlett said.

“Our two officers repeatedly challenged her to drop the handgun,” Gauntlett said.

When Cartagena did not, she was shot by the two officers in the yard of 418 Alabama Ave. Cartagena was taken to St. Cloud Regional Medical Center where she was pronounced dead. Residents at the home where the shooting occurred were not involved, police said.

Sgt. Jared Daniel, a six-year veteran, and Officer John Nettles, a seven-year veteran, were the officers involved in the shooting and both are on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.

Whether Cartagena provoked the officers into a suicide-by-cop situation is part of the investigation, Gauntlett said.

Cartagena, who would have turned 26 Monday, has a record in Florida, with convictions for carrying a concealed weapon in August 2009, possession of marijuana in July 2007 and vehicle theft and larceny in March 2006. She did not have a record in Osceola County

The police-involved shooting is the first in St. Cloud since 1989, according to Deputy Chief Vinny Shepard.

The investigation was turned over to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement Wednesday, as per routine protocol in a police-involved shooting.

Danny Banks, assistant special agent in charge for FDLE, said the investigation will include how many shots were fired and which of the officers actually shot the suspect.

A female neighbor who was an eyewitness and who did not want to be identified reported hearing one initial shot followed by four shots in quick succession.

“It sounded like the OK Corral out here. Welcome to Alabama Avenue, never a dull moment. The cops are always here; all of us want to sell but where will we go?” the witness said.