A suspect allegedly shot a 7-year-old boy in Tampa, Florida, after an argument about jet skis escalated, police said.
Two groups of jet skiers got into an argument July 4 near Courtney Campbell Boat Ramp about how close one group was riding to the shore where children played, according to Fox 35 Orlando. The verbal argument escalated into a physical conflict before gunfire erupted, according to Deputy Chief Calvin Johnson, who referred to the shooting as “senseless” in a Wednesday morning news conference. (RELATED: 5-Year-Old Reportedly Shot Near Memorial Service Of Man Gunned Down The Day Before)
An argument over jet skis escalated to a shooting on the Fourth of July in Tampa, Florida where a 7-year-old boy was shot in the head and killed, and the boy’s grandfather shot in the hand, according to the Tampa Police Department. https://t.co/iSfPA6vngu
— FOX 35 Orlando (@fox35orlando) July 5, 2023
The boy’s grandfather was shot in the hand when he attempted to protect his grandson by pulling him into his truck, police said. One bullet reportedly struck the grandfather’s finger, then went through the child’s head. The boy later died in a hospital.
“There is no reason, no excuse that an argument can lead to gunfire, much less an argument over jet skis. Now we got citizens, we got families, we got folks in our communities, who have to deal with this tragic incident that occurred on the Fourth of July,” Johnson said. “We need to do better as a community, really, as Americans.”
Detectives investigated the scene all night in an attempt to identify the shooter, however the suspect remains at large.
“We want to bring the folks who did this shooting to justice. We want to hold them accountable for their actions. If they’re out here, and they hear me today, turn yourself in. Your actions and your anger, it led to a 7-year-old just starting his life getting killed because you were angry over a jet ski. Just imagine if that was your child killed over this,” Johnson said.