Mother looks for answers as Tampa police investigate shooting
Mother calls for answers after deadly shooting
A Tampa mom is speaking out following a deadly shooting on Sunday. She says it involved her teenage son and his two friends. FOX 13's Kylie Jones reports.
TAMPA, Fla. - A person was shot and killed Sunday afternoon in Tampa, according to the Tampa Police Department.
A mother says her teenage son and his two friends were shot at while they were searching for a missing phone.
Tampa police investigation
What we know:
Police say officers were called to the 13000 block of River Willow Place around 1:15 p.m. Sunday for a reported fight, but information at the time was limited.
Yessenia Gonzalez says her 16-year-old son and his two 15-year-old friends went to a teen club Saturday night, stayed at her house, and realized one of their phones was missing Sunday morning.
She says the teens tracked the phone to a neighborhood in the North Tampa area.
Gonzalez says the three teens knocked on a few doors and talked with neighbors without any issues. She says they eventually knocked on another door and looked in the window, and then were allegedly chased off the property by a man wearing a mask and carrying a gun.
She says her son's 15-year-old friend was shot and killed as the boys ran away down the street.
Tampa police have not confirmed these details about the shooting or the alleged shooter. Police did confirm that the shooter stayed at the scene and cooperated with investigators.
What we don't know:
Police have not publicly identified the shooter or the victim. No arrests have been made at this point.
Mother demands answers
What they're saying:
"These kids came unarmed," Gonzalez said. "These kids just were looking for, on a Find my iPhone app, just looking for their phone. That was it. Scared to tell the parent, 'Hey, I lost my phone'. Scared of being grounded."
Gonzalez says she wants justice for her son's friend and doesn't believe the situation should've escalated to this point.
"It's just, who, in their right mind, at one o'clock in the afternoon is wearing a mask with a gun?" she said. "And pointing it and chasing teenagers after they already left your property?"
Ongoing case details
What's next:
FOX 13 reached out to the Tampa Police Department on Tuesday for an update. Police shared the following statement:
"Detectives continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding Sunday’s shooting. They are speaking with all parties involved and reviewing available video as part of the ongoing investigation.
Investigators are working diligently to gather all facts to determine the most appropriate next steps."
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from official statements made by the Tampa Police Department and an interview conducted with a parent, Yessenia Gonzalez.