Tampa police search for 2nd Armature Works shooting suspect, likely a teenager

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Two days after the Tampa shooting near Armature Works, one person has been arrested and police are calling on the community to take action while still searching for another suspect who is also likely a teenager.

“We do not tolerate this. We will find who did it, we will charge them,” Chief Lee Bercaw said. “And the state attorney’s office will prosecute them.”

Police say video and witnesses are helping them make strides in the investigation.

“A lot of people running, a lot of people crying, emotional,” one witness said.

Evidence has led Tampa officers to believe gunfire erupted after a heated altercation between two groups of boys between 13-17 years old.

The age range raises another concern in this shooting which is how teenagers got ahold of these guns.

“A lot of guns are coming from cars. Last year, we had over 200 guns that were stolen from cars that were left unlocked,” Bercaw said. “If you think about it, that’s just in the City of Tampa.”

After October’s shooting in Ybor and now this, Bercaw is once again urging the community to lock their cars.

Three innocent people were shot in Tuesday’s shooting.

“The first two shots everyone was kind of just looking around and then after two more shots everyone just ducked down and just ran ran ran,” Witness Ashlay Hernandez said.

An increased police presence near the crime scene yesterday as TPD continued to investigate helped bring some relief to the community.

“I feel safer than ever. I mean we have like everybody around,” said Aimee Conlee, Urban Kai Owner. “It’s safer than ever and it’s really a community place and these are all small businesses that really need your support.”

One of the suspects, a 17-year-old boy, appeared before a judge in juvenile court Thursday. The state said it is reviewing the case to file the teen as an adult.

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