TAMPA, Fla. — A woman has died after she was shot on Wednesday night at a Tampa apartment complex.
The Tampa Police Department said they found the woman after arriving at Silver Oaks Apartments. She was taken to a local hospital before passing away on Thursday.
Detectives added that they're working through what they believe to be multiple shootings at the complex.
"What we've learned after, you know, interviewing witnesses, neighbors and reviewing surveillance video from around the neighborhood, is that there was one extensive group of gunfire with multiple shooters. At this time, it's all related over what that's still under investigation at this point. So we're asking anybody who may have seen something or heard something or know someone who knows something to please come forward and call the Tampa Police Department," said TPD Spokesperson Merissa Lynn.
According to TPD, one juvenile was arrested, but not for homicide.
"They did make one arrest earlier today. A juvenile was arrested for aggravated assault and possession of a firearm, amongst other charges as well. But his stance at this point is that he's not been arrested for the homicide. It's just for the shooting that took place that is separate. But again, the investigation is still ongoing," said Lynn.
Police returned to the complex Thursday to continue combing through security video and talking to potential witnesses.
One witness was Vonnesha King.
"When I opened up the door, I looked on the floor. They was like 'Someone got shot.' At first I thought it was someone's kid. So I didn't expect it, but when I looked over, I seen her standing up. But she kept dropping and dropping. And I saw it was Toya. Everybody was just looking, like everybody was just screaming, crying," she recalled.
King said just moments before, she and her family, including her one-year-old and six-year-old son, had just come home.
"So as (her boyfriend) fixed up dinner, he heard the gunshots. I'm in the bathroom. I didn't hear anything in the bathroom. Normally you can hear through these walls because they're not as thick. So he comes in, he's like 'Get down, they're shooting.'," she said.
King has struggled to sleep. She's now worried about the next time tragedy strikes.
"I didn't expect to get off work and see someone's halfway dead in front of my doorstep," she said. "I could have been the one shot. Because it seems like they came to shoot innocent bystanders. I don't know whatever the case may be, but she didn't deserve that."
The shooting isn't surprising to King. When she moved into her current apartment, she found a bullet hole in her bedroom. Wednesday night's shooting was the final straw.
"I just need help. We got to deal with mold, rats, and now like our lives. We already have to be dodging bullets and stuff now. It's crazy."
That's why she's asking to be let out of her lease after six years tough in Silver Oaks.
"I'm afraid that it will happen again. And again and again."
