TAMPA, Fla. — The Tampa Police Department (TPD) arrested a 13-year-old boy after officers said he used a stolen gun to shoot a 15-year-old.
According to Tampa Police, they received reports of a shooting on Sept. 7. While on the way to the scene at East Seneca Avenue and East Jasmine Avenue, TPD said it received another call about a 15-year-old boy who was the victim of the reported shooting.
Police said the victim and an acquaintance were walking to the 7-Eleven on North Nebraska Avenue when they saw a group of juveniles they knew. The 13-year-old suspect shot the victim. Police said the 15-year-old victim returned fire.
The 15-year-old was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
"We are seeing that juveniles are having guns at younger and younger ages. 13 years old is what we have with one of these defendants. The other defendant was 15 years old," said Suzy Lopez, Hillsborough County State Attorney. "This was also not their first time in the criminal justice system. Both of them have pending charges, one of them has violation of probation, and the other one has a laundry list of pending cases. This is not the first time that these young people had guns and possessed guns."
Investigators gathered evidence and witness statements and determined the 13-year-old was the aggressor.
Both parties ran away after the shooting, but officers located the suspect near where the shooting occurred about three days later, on Sept. 10. ABC Action News is not naming the suspect due to his age.
Officers took the teen into custody and said he was armed with a handgun with one round in the chamber. The gun used had recently been stolen from a vehicle.
"That the gun used by the 13-year-old was stolen from a car that was unlocked. We can’t stress it enough. Lock your cars, take your valuables out, and if you own a firearm, do not leave it in your car. In this case, the firearm was in a car left unlocked, and a 13-year-old gets it and gets into a shootout with a 15-year-old. This can't happen. We have to reduce the access to firearms," said Chief Lee Bercaw with the Tampa Police Department.
Officers said the 13-year-old suspect was also injured in the shooting. He had injuries to his legs consistent with gunshots. He was transported to a local hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.
The teen was charged with two counts of minor in possession of a weapon, two counts of carrying a concealed firearm, discharge of a firearm in public, and aggravated battery with great bodily harm or deadly weapon.
