Teen arrested in connection to East Tampa shooting that injured four, TPD says

A 17-year-old was arrested in connection to an East Tampa shooting that injured four people Wednesday evening. The Tampa Police Department also said they are searching for other suspects who left the scene on East Chelsea Street and Courtland Street. 

Investigators said Joshua Perkins-McKenzie, 17, was arrested for carrying a concealed firearm and minor in possession of a firearm. Three men and one woman were taken to the hospital after the shooting, but none of them had life-threatening injuries. 

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Four people were siting on the southwest corner of East Chelsea Street in the area when they got into a verbal dispute with someone inside a silver Nissan Altima, Tampa police said. The person inside the Altima flagged down a silver Chrysler 200, which stopped on Chelsea Street. 

Perkins-McKenzie grabbed a green backpack stored on a nearby fence, according to officers. The person inside the Altima along with several other suspects in the Chrysler stopped and got out of their cars with guns, Tampa police said. 

The suspects starting firing at Perkins-McKenzie, and four others, who weren't involved in the dispute, were hit by the gunfire. TPD officials also confirmed Perkins-McKenzie removed an AR-15 pistol from the backpack he grabbed and tried shooting back at the suspects. 

Investigators said Perkins-McKenzie put the gun back in the backpack and left the scene. He was later arrested during a traffic stop on the vehicle he was driving, officers said. 

TPD detectives are following leads to find the other suspects who left the shooting scene. Anyone with information is asked to call the Tampa Police Department at (813) 231-6130 or Crime Stoppers Tampa Bay.