Shooting suspect accused of killing passenger in vehicle make first court appearance
TAMPA, Fla. - The man who's charged with murder in a deadly shooting in Hillsborough County made his first appearance in court on Tuesday.
Dayjon Clarke, 24, appeared virtually before a Hillsborough County judge Tuesday afternoon.
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The backstory:
The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office said Clarke is facing a first-degree murder charge in the shooting, which happened just after 4:15 p.m. on May 30 at the intersection of Progress Boulevard and South 82nd Street.
Deputies said they responded to a nearby Thorntons convenience store in Riverview after receiving reports of a shooting. Once they arrived, deputies said they found Terrel Ferrell, 24, with a gunshot wound to the upper body.
He was a passenger in a vehicle that was driven by a woman with a child in the backseat, according to authorities.
During their investigation, detectives said they learned that the driver briefly stopped to speak with Clarke near Progress Boulevard and South 82nd Street in Tampa. That's when the suspect opened fire on the vehicle, according to HCSO.
While trying to escape, the driver sped away and accidentally hit a motorized bicyclist, who sustained minor injuries, authorities said. The driver then stopped at the nearby Thorntons convenience store in Riverview to get help, deputies said.
The sheriff's office said Ferrell was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Clarke was identified by detectives as the suspect involved in the shooting. Officials said he was arrested on Monday at a home in the 100 block of Logarto Circle West in Lutz.
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On top of the first-degree murder charge, Clarke is also facing two other charges, including shooting at a vehicle and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Deputies said this remains an active investigation.
What's next:
At Clarke's first appearance on Tuesday, his attorney said a motion was filed for a pre-trial detention hearing. The judge set Clarke's pre-trial detention hearing for Thursday morning.
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