CAPE CORAL, FL - May 11, 2020 - According to an online news report on TampaBay.com, a 14-year-old girl was with several other teens when she was the victim of a shooting, as reported by the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. Two teenagers were arrested and remain in police custody after Pinellas County Sheriff’s deputies alleged the two teens fired several gunshots into a group of teenagers and one of their shots struck a 14-year-old girl.
The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office stated that the 14-year-old girl was hit twice in her left arm. The 14-year-old girl was wounded in the left hand and arm, deputies reported. The girl was taken and treated at the Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital. The injuries were not considered life-threatening, and she is expected to recover from the gunshot wounds. The 14-year-old victim was released from the hospital later that night.
According to Pinellas County Sheriff’s deputies, the two teenage suspects were arrested the following night. The names of the teens have been withheld from the public because they are minors.
Pinellas County Sheriff’s deputies stated the shooting occurred around 9:20 p.m. The arrested report alleges the two 17-year-old suspects drove to a residence at the 11300 blocks of 122nd Terrace N in Pinellas. The report states that the two suspects drove the house in order “to fight with a female at the location.” The reports also allege that another group of teenagers followed the suspects in another motor vehicle. The 17-year-old suspect driving the motor vehicle parked the getaway car on the street outside the house and waited in the motor vehicle. Then the other 17-year-old suspect, armed with a gun, got out of the motor vehicle and then walked towards the group of teenagers who were standing outside.
The 17-year-old suspect then pulled out a gun, deputies say, and many of the teenagers outside began toward the nearby house for shelter. Then the 17-year-old allegedly started firing at the house and at the group of teenagers. After the shooting, the two 17-year-old suspects fled the scene in the car they arrived in.
According to Pinellas County Sheriff’s deputies, one bullet round was discovered in the exterior of a home that had “small child” inside during the shooting. The 17-year-old shooter suspect, who resides in Clearwater, was arrested and is being charged as an adult. The shooter is being charged with throwing a deadly missile into a building and attempted second-degree murder. The shooter was booked and processed into the Pinellas County jail.
The 17-year-old suspect who was driving the motor vehicle, who is from Largo, has been arrested on juvenile charges of being an accessory to throwing a deadly missile into a building, and being an accessory to aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. The suspect was booked into the Pinellas County Juvenile Assessment Center.