A dispute escalated to a deadly shooting in Central Florida.
On May 12th, right before 3am, the Tampa Police Department began an investigation into a deadly shooting that occurred in the 500 block of S. Howard Ave.
Based on the preliminary investigation, it is believed that the three people injured were known to each other and had previously interacted with one another. Prior to shots being fired, the three adult males were engaged in a dispute that then escalated.
Officers assigned to the SoHo area of Tampa were already on scene at the time of the incident as they were assigned to crowd dispersal and egress.
Fortunately, there were no officers injured. There were also no reports of additional injuries to other bystanders in the area.
As a result of the shooting, two individuals succumbed to their injuries. Those two subjects have been identified and their next of kin have been notified. They are Kenneth Washington and Kevon Christmas.
A third shooting victim remains hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.
Police detectives are working diligently to identify the suspect involved in the accident.
“My thoughts are with the loved ones impacted by this violence, especially on a day like today,” said Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw. “Our officers, detectives, and crime scene technicians have been working tirelessly to gather any available evidence and leads in this case.”
Anyone with information that could assist detectives is encouraged to call the Tampa Police Department at 812-231-6130 or submit an anonymous tip via Crime Stoppers of Tampa Bay at 800-873-8477 or by texting SAFETAMPA to Tip411 (847411).
