TAMPA - A 33-year-old man suspected of robbing a Kmart clerk at gunpoint and leading Hillsborough County sheriff's deputies on a Friday night chase was found dead in a canal later that evening.
The Sheriff's Office said the man was Steven Harris of 10515 E 22nd St., Tampa.
According to a report, Harris entered a Kmart in the 12700 block of N Dale Mabry Highway at 9:55 p.m., pointed a gun at a clerk and demanded money.
The clerk complied and Harris fled in a dark, midsize vehicle, according to reports.
A deputy saw Harris driving north on Dale Mabry Highway at Fletcher Avenue with his lights off. The deputy tried to stop the vehicle, but Harris sped away. He ended up at a mobile home park on Bearss Avenue, where he abandoned his vehicle and ran toward a canal surrounded by heavy brush.
As deputies and dogs searched for Harris, sheriff's helicopters flew overhead. Harris was found dead in the canal.
