Former Tampa City Council candidate under investigation after pulling gun during candidate forum
Former city council candidate pulls gun at forum
A heated political forum for the Tampa City Council District 5 runoff turned chaotic Thursday night when former council candidate Elvis Piggott pulled a firearm during an altercation, prompting an ongoing police investigation. Aaron Mesmer reports.
TAMPA, Fla. - A heated political forum for the Tampa City Council District 5 runoff turned chaotic Thursday night when former council candidate Elvis Piggott pulled a firearm during an altercation, prompting an ongoing police investigation.
What we know:
The incident occurred following a candidate forum for the District 5 special runoff election between Thomas Scott and Naya Young.
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Piggott, who previously ran for the seat but did not advance to the runoff, said he was confronted after the event by members of Young’s family due to his support for Scott. In a now-deleted two-hour Facebook Live stream, Piggott recounted the confrontation, claiming he acted in self-defense to protect himself and his two-year-old son.
"I pull my firearm in self-defense," Piggott said during the video. "You cannot put your hands on no one unless you're planning to meet your maker."
Pictured: Former Tampa City Council candidate Elvis Piggott
Tampa police confirmed the incident is under active investigation. Officers were seen responding to the scene in another video Piggott posted online, but so far, no charges have been filed.
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During an interview with FOX 13 hours after the incident, Piggott was less willing to elaborate on the details of the incident, saying, "Everything is in the hands of the state attorney. I believe they will investigate effectively."
What they're saying:
Naya Young responded to the altercation with a statement on Instagram, calling it an "unprovoked attack of violence and intimidation in the course of civic participation. The sanctity of our electoral process must always be held in the highest regard… This incident does not change our course, we will move forward, together."
Pictured: Tampa City Council candidates Thomas Scott and Naya Young.
Garrett Greco, a forum moderator and host of the "Tampa Bay Developer" podcast, shared similar sentiments online:
"One of them drew a gun. People were screaming, 'he's got a gun!’ This is the opportunity for all of us to come together, condemn political violence, move forward, talk about the issues."
Piggott has pushed back on Young’s account, calling her story "falsified" and insisting he was wrongly portrayed.
What's next:
Tampa police said they will continue to gather witness statements as the investigation unfolds. No arrests have been made, and authorities have not announced whether any charges will be filed.
The District 5 runoff election, set in motion after the unexpected death of Councilwoman Gwendolyn Henderson, remains scheduled as planned.
The Source: Information for this story came from an interview with Elvis Piggott, along with his live-stream on Facebook following the incident. Information also came from statements from Naya Young and the Tampa Police Department.