1 arrested in road rage shooting that injured teenage girl in Hillsborough County

Arrest in road rage shooting that injured teen

Ariel Plasencia reports

RIVERVIEW, Fla. - A man was arrested after authorities say he fired two shots into a car during a road rage incident in Hillsborough County, striking a 16-year-old girl.

According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, Rasool Abdul Hakeem, 37, admitted to shooting his gun twice during a road rage incident on Tuesday afternoon.

Deputies say two vehicles were heading northbound in the area of 4202 Falkenburg Road in the Riverview around 5 p.m. when they got into an altercation.

READ: 16-year-old hospitalized after road rage shooting in Hillsborough County: Deputies

That's when HCSO said Hakeem fired two rounds into the vehicle a 16-year-old girl was in. She was struck by a bullet and taken to Tampa General Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Rasool Abdul Hakeem mugshot courtesy of the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.

Deputy Chief Joseph Maurer said the bullet grazed the girl’s chin and wounded her shoulder.

"You’re talking about inches. It was her chin. If it was a couple of inches higher, this may be a homicide," he added.

According to Maurer, the vehicle the victim was in was being driven by her 18-year-old sibling. Maurer added that the pair were on their way to Giunta Middle School to pick up their younger sister.

Maurer noted that there were three crime scenes - – the incident scene where the shots were fired, the scene where the suspect first started to bolt, but then pulled over and called 911, and Giunta Middle School where other people called 911.

Maurer added that some 911 callers initially thought it was a school shooting.

HCSO update on road rage shooting that injured teen

The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office says it has arrested a suspect accused of opening fire during a road rage incident in Riverview that injured a teenage girl.

According to HCSO, the suspect told deputies that the victim rammed his car, but Maurer said that is not true.

Hakeem was charged with two counts of attempted murder in the second degree and shooting at or into a vehicle.

"To discharge your firearm at another vehicle is simply reckless and unacceptable," said Sheriff Chad Chronister. "This suspect had no regard for human life during this completely avoidable interaction."

According to Maurer, Hakeem was arrested in 2014 for domestic battery. However, he wasn’t sure if Hakeem was convicted, so it was unclear whether he was allowed to have a firearm.

The investigation is ongoing.

STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 13 TAMPA: