Photo: Getty/iStockphotoA 7-year-old boy was fatally shot in the head on Tuesday evening at a beach in Tampa, Fla., from a reported altercation over allegations of reckless jet ski driving.Tampa Police Deputy Chief Calvin Johnson said in anews conferenceWednesday morning that police responded to a call about a shooting at Courtney Campbell Causeway west of Ben T. Davis Beach.“When the shooting began, the grandfather of a young man that was shot grabbed him and pulled him into the truck when they heard the gunfire going on,” Johnson explained. “When they were inside the vehicle, a round went through the vehicle, hit the grandfather in the finger and the young man in the head.”“The grandfather knew nothing about the argument,” Johnson claimed while answering questions after the briefing. “He’s going inside his truck when he hears the gunfire. It doesn’t make sense to me how folks can be so careless.”Johnson shared that the child was reportedly declared dead after being transported to a local hospital. One other person was also shot, according to authorities.According to Johnson, witnesses reportedly told police that the gunfire was the result of two groups arguing over jet skis.“One group was mad because the second group was riding their jet skis too close to the shore where the kids were playing in the water,” he claimed. “That confrontation led to gunfire. Senseless gunfire.”Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up forPEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletterfor breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.“There was no reason, no excuse that argument can lead to gunfire much less for arguing over jet skis,” he continued. “Now we got citizens, we got families, we got folks in our communities that have to deal with this tragic incident on the Fourth of July.”Johnson noted that the investigation is currently active, as homicide detectives were at the scene “all night long” trying to find leads on the suspects.TheCity of Tampastated that “there is limited information on the suspect’s description, but based on witnesses, it is believed that two groups of Hispanic males were shooting at each other at the time of the incident.”Johnson urged anyone with information about the shooting to come forward: “We want to bring these folks who did this shooting to justice. We want to hold them accountable for their actions."“If they’re out here and they hear me today, turn yourself in,” he pleaded. “Your actions and your anger led to a seven-year-old just starting his life getting killed because you were angry over a jet ski.”“Just imagine if that was your child that was killed over this,” added the deputy chief. “Help bring closure to this family and this community.”He later added, “Just imagine if you’re that grandfather, he lost his grandson and then you’re second guessing where you had your hand at so it can ricochet. These are so many things that impact people’s lives and we have to do a better job.”Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw said in a statement perABC News: “Our thoughts are with the family of this innocent child. Our detectives will work tirelessly until all those involved are identified and arrested."“There’s a better way to deal with anything you may be going through other than going to that firearm,” Johnson said.Anyone with information is asked to call Tampa Police at 813-231-6130 or Crimestoppers at 1-800-873-TIPS (8477) or report anonymously online atwww.crimestopperstb.com.
Photo: Getty/iStockphoto
A 7-year-old boy was fatally shot in the head on Tuesday evening at a beach in Tampa, Fla., from a reported altercation over allegations of reckless jet ski driving.Tampa Police Deputy Chief Calvin Johnson said in anews conferenceWednesday morning that police responded to a call about a shooting at Courtney Campbell Causeway west of Ben T. Davis Beach.“When the shooting began, the grandfather of a young man that was shot grabbed him and pulled him into the truck when they heard the gunfire going on,” Johnson explained. “When they were inside the vehicle, a round went through the vehicle, hit the grandfather in the finger and the young man in the head.”“The grandfather knew nothing about the argument,” Johnson claimed while answering questions after the briefing. “He’s going inside his truck when he hears the gunfire. It doesn’t make sense to me how folks can be so careless.”Johnson shared that the child was reportedly declared dead after being transported to a local hospital. One other person was also shot, according to authorities.According to Johnson, witnesses reportedly told police that the gunfire was the result of two groups arguing over jet skis.“One group was mad because the second group was riding their jet skis too close to the shore where the kids were playing in the water,” he claimed. “That confrontation led to gunfire. Senseless gunfire.”Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up forPEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletterfor breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.“There was no reason, no excuse that argument can lead to gunfire much less for arguing over jet skis,” he continued. “Now we got citizens, we got families, we got folks in our communities that have to deal with this tragic incident on the Fourth of July.”Johnson noted that the investigation is currently active, as homicide detectives were at the scene “all night long” trying to find leads on the suspects.TheCity of Tampastated that “there is limited information on the suspect’s description, but based on witnesses, it is believed that two groups of Hispanic males were shooting at each other at the time of the incident.”Johnson urged anyone with information about the shooting to come forward: “We want to bring these folks who did this shooting to justice. We want to hold them accountable for their actions."“If they’re out here and they hear me today, turn yourself in,” he pleaded. “Your actions and your anger led to a seven-year-old just starting his life getting killed because you were angry over a jet ski.”“Just imagine if that was your child that was killed over this,” added the deputy chief. “Help bring closure to this family and this community.”He later added, “Just imagine if you’re that grandfather, he lost his grandson and then you’re second guessing where you had your hand at so it can ricochet. These are so many things that impact people’s lives and we have to do a better job.”Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw said in a statement perABC News: “Our thoughts are with the family of this innocent child. Our detectives will work tirelessly until all those involved are identified and arrested."“There’s a better way to deal with anything you may be going through other than going to that firearm,” Johnson said.Anyone with information is asked to call Tampa Police at 813-231-6130 or Crimestoppers at 1-800-873-TIPS (8477) or report anonymously online atwww.crimestopperstb.com.
A 7-year-old boy was fatally shot in the head on Tuesday evening at a beach in Tampa, Fla., from a reported altercation over allegations of reckless jet ski driving.
Tampa Police Deputy Chief Calvin Johnson said in anews conferenceWednesday morning that police responded to a call about a shooting at Courtney Campbell Causeway west of Ben T. Davis Beach.
“When the shooting began, the grandfather of a young man that was shot grabbed him and pulled him into the truck when they heard the gunfire going on,” Johnson explained. “When they were inside the vehicle, a round went through the vehicle, hit the grandfather in the finger and the young man in the head.”
“The grandfather knew nothing about the argument,” Johnson claimed while answering questions after the briefing. “He’s going inside his truck when he hears the gunfire. It doesn’t make sense to me how folks can be so careless.”
Johnson shared that the child was reportedly declared dead after being transported to a local hospital. One other person was also shot, according to authorities.
According to Johnson, witnesses reportedly told police that the gunfire was the result of two groups arguing over jet skis.
“One group was mad because the second group was riding their jet skis too close to the shore where the kids were playing in the water,” he claimed. “That confrontation led to gunfire. Senseless gunfire.”
Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up forPEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletterfor breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.
“There was no reason, no excuse that argument can lead to gunfire much less for arguing over jet skis,” he continued. “Now we got citizens, we got families, we got folks in our communities that have to deal with this tragic incident on the Fourth of July.”
Johnson noted that the investigation is currently active, as homicide detectives were at the scene “all night long” trying to find leads on the suspects.
TheCity of Tampastated that “there is limited information on the suspect’s description, but based on witnesses, it is believed that two groups of Hispanic males were shooting at each other at the time of the incident.”
Johnson urged anyone with information about the shooting to come forward: “We want to bring these folks who did this shooting to justice. We want to hold them accountable for their actions."
“If they’re out here and they hear me today, turn yourself in,” he pleaded. “Your actions and your anger led to a seven-year-old just starting his life getting killed because you were angry over a jet ski.”
“Just imagine if that was your child that was killed over this,” added the deputy chief. “Help bring closure to this family and this community.”
He later added, “Just imagine if you’re that grandfather, he lost his grandson and then you’re second guessing where you had your hand at so it can ricochet. These are so many things that impact people’s lives and we have to do a better job.”
Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw said in a statement perABC News: “Our thoughts are with the family of this innocent child. Our detectives will work tirelessly until all those involved are identified and arrested.”
“There’s a better way to deal with anything you may be going through other than going to that firearm," Johnson said.
Anyone with information is asked to call Tampa Police at 813-231-6130 or Crimestoppers at 1-800-873-TIPS (8477) or report anonymously online atwww.crimestopperstb.com.
source: people.com
