Tampa Police recently dispatched to the 3000 block of N. 50th St for a road rage incident that occurred nearby, ending with the suspect shooting at the victim’s vehicle and injuring a 4-year-old girl struck by a bullet. After the gunfire, the suspect fled the scene.
Officers arrived within minutes to find the 4-year-old with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound. The child was transported to a nearby hospital. The other occupants of the car, two adults and one additional child, were not injured.
Tampa Police arrested 34-year-old James D. Jackson, the suspect involved in the Central Florida shooting that left a 4-year-old injured with a gunshot wound.
“Our thoughts are with the little girl who was injured in this senseless act and our Victim’s Advocate will be working closely with the family to ensure they are connected to any resources they may need,” said Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw. “Thanks to the swift efforts taken by all the responding and investigating officers, the suspect was quickly taken off the street before he could harm another member of our community.”
Investigation has revealed that on Tuesday evening, Jackson was driving a white Kia Optima when he became irate with the adult female driver of a white Chevrolet sedan.
The Chevy driver was driving eastbound on Melburne Blvd approaching 50th St and stopped at the solid red light to turn south onto 50th St. Jackson used the KIA to pull alongside the Chevy.
While seated in the driver seat of his vehicle, his passenger side window was down, and he fired multiple gunshots toward the victim’s vehicle which was occupied by the female driver, who is in her early 30’s, an adult male passenger in his late 20’s, and two children in the rear passenger seats. One of the children, the four-year-old daughter of the driver, was struck by a bullet. The other child, an 8-year-old female, was not injured.
The 4-year-old was transported to a nearby hospital, where she was listed in stable condition. The other occupants of the Chevy thankfully were not injured.
According to law enforcement, Jackson was arrested and transported to Falkenburg Road Jail, charged as follows:
- Attempted Murder, Great Bodily Harm (Firearm)
- Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon (3 counts)
- Aggravated Battery Great Bodily Harm
- Discharge of a Firearm from a Vehicle
- Felon in Possession of a Firearm (2 counts)
- Possession of a Firearm in the Commission of a Felony
- Tampering with Physical Evidence
- Fleeing to Elude
- Resisting Officer Without Violence
- Possession of Cannabis
- Possession of Cannabis with Intent to Sell/Deliver
- Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
