Police say that a fired security guard shot the hotel manager and later committed suicide.
Detectives have identified Anthony Graig Taylor, 45, as the man accused of shooting the manager at a St. Petersburg motel and then killing himself early Tuesday morning.
Witnesses told police Taylor had worked as a security guard and was staying in one of the rooms at the New Plaza Motel but was fired because he had gotten into "several confrontations" with motel patriots, St. Petersburg Police.
Taylor was still allowed to rent a room after his firing but had recently been told he was evicted because he was behind on his rent, police said.
The motive in the shooting of manager Jerome Horacek remains unclear, police said, because Horacek was not responsible for Taylor's firing or eviction. The two had had "casual conversation" about an hour before the shooting, officials said.
Detectives said they believe Taylor may have been attempting to rob Horacek, "who immediately attempted to flee once Taylor entered the office and pointed the handgun at him," the police stated. Taylor "was seen shooting out of the window at the office entrance as Horacek fled.
Horaceck suffered multiple gunshot wounds in his upper torso but is expected to survive, authorities said.
A K-9 unit later found Taylor's body in a lot at 3462 3rd Ave. N. after he had apparently committed suicide with the same handgun used in the shooting, according to police.
The investigation is still ongoing.