Current:Home > FinanceSuspect arrested in Tampa shooting that killed 2, injured 18 -Momentum Wealth Path
Suspect arrested in Tampa shooting that killed 2, injured 18
View
Date:2025-04-13 20:32:50
A man has been arrested in Tampa, Florida, in a mass shooting that erupted during Halloween festivities early Sunday. Two people were killed and 18 injured, police said.
At least two shooters opened fire just before 3 a.m. in the Ybor City area, Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw said during a news conference at the scene. Later Sunday he said detectives arrested Tyrell Stephen Phillips, 22, in connection with the shooting. He was charged with second-degree murder with a firearm.
"My heart goes out to the families," Bercaw said in a news briefing posted online. He called the gun violence "extremely tragic" and said police would not tolerate it.
Earlier, authorities said one suspect was in custody and at least one other was being sought, but Bercaw did not immediately say Sunday afternoon whether police were seeking anyone else after Phillips' arrest.
"We make arrests quickly," Bercaw said in the briefing. "We have a sense of urgency and if you are going to be out there with a gun, you are going to pay for it."
It was not immediately known if Phillips had an attorney, and he remained jailed pending an initial court appearance Monday, according to officials and local reports.
Tampa Mayor Jane Castor, a former city police chief, lamented that Tampa was the focus of national attention for "yet another shooting in our country."
"We've got to say, as a country, that enough is enough," she said.
The early morning fight occurred in an area with several bars and clubs that was once the center of Tampa's cigar industry. In more recent years, the area has been known for its lively nightlife, and Tampa police spokeswoman Jonee Lewis said "hundreds" of people were on the streets at the time of Sunday's shootings because numerous nightspots had just closed.
Police had not released the names of those killed, but Emmitt Wilson said his 14-year-old son, Elijah, was one of the fatalities. Wilson came to the scene Sunday after getting a call that his son was a victim.
"It's madness to me. I don't even feel like I'm here right now," Wilson said. "I hope the investigators do their job."
Video posted online shows people, many in Halloween costumes, drinking and talking on the street when about a dozen shots ring out followed seconds later by about eight more. A stampede ensued, with some people toppling over metal tables and taking cover behind them. Video from the aftermath shows police officers treating several people lying wounded on the ground.
"It was a disturbance or a fight between two groups. And in this fight between two groups we had hundreds of innocent people involved that were in the way," Bercaw said.
He did not provide details of the injuries suffered by the victims taken to area hospitals. Authorities later said most of those hurt were treated and released.
Police are still investigating the reason for the fight between the two groups, he said.
Castor blamed Sunday's shootings on easy access to guns.
"Yet again, a senseless loss of life by those choosing to settle a dispute with firearms. Lives lost and others forever changed. To what end?" Castor asked. "The Tampa Police Department had 50 officers deployed in the area at the time, so this is not a law enforcement issue.
- In:
- Shooting
- Tampa, Florida
- Florida
- Tampa Bay
veryGood! (52973)
Related
- 'We're reborn!' Gazans express joy at returning home to north
- Flamingos in Wisconsin? Tropical birds visit Lake Michigan beach in a first for the northern state
- Does Congress get paid during a government shutdown?
- Report: Chicago Bears equipment totaling $100K stolen from Soldier Field
- The city of Chicago is ordered to pay nearly $80M for a police chase that killed a 10
- Flamingos in Wisconsin? Tropical birds visit Lake Michigan beach in a first for the northern state
- Brewers clinch playoff berth, close in on NL Central title after routing Marlins
- Arizona’s sweltering summer could set new record for most heat-associated deaths in big metro
- Meta releases AI model to enhance Metaverse experience
- Why can't babies have honey? The answer lies in microscopic spores.
Ranking
- Federal court filings allege official committed perjury in lawsuit tied to Louisiana grain terminal
- With temporary status for Venezuelans, the Biden administration turns to a familiar tool
- The federal government is headed into a shutdown. What does it mean, who’s hit and what’s next?
- Taiwan factory fire leaves at least 5 dead, more than 100 injured
- 'Survivor' 47 finale, part one recap: 2 players were sent home. Who's left in the game?
- Unpacking the Child Abuse Case Against YouTube Influencer Ruby Franke
- Workers uncover eight mummies and pre-Inca objects while expanding the gas network in Peru
- Worker involved in Las Vegas Grand Prix prep suffers fatal injury: Police
Recommendation
Juan Soto praise of Mets' future a tough sight for Yankees, but World Series goal remains
Nevada Republicans have set rules for their presidential caucus seen as helping Donald Trump
Arizona’s sweltering summer could set new record for most heat-associated deaths in big metro
Ukraine targets key Crimean city a day after striking the Russian navy headquarters
Bodycam footage shows high
In Milan, Ferragamo’s Maximilian Davis woos the red carpet with hard-soft mix and fetish detailing
5 dead as train strikes SUV in Florida, sheriff says
'All about fun': Louisiana man says decapitated Jesus Halloween display has led to harassment