Man arrested after firing shots at vehicle over road rage incident outside Amalie Arena

TAMPA, Fla. - A 19-year-old was arrested after police said he fired shots at a person's vehicle following a ‘roadway altercation’ outside of Amalie Arena on Sunday night. 

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According to the Tampa Police Department, units responded to the intersection of Morgan Street and Channelside Drive at around 6:28 p.m. on Sunday after shots were fired.

Shyquan Lee Galon (Photo courtesy: Tampa Police Department)

Based on their investigation, police determined two parties were involved in a dispute and when both returned to their vehicles, Shyquan Lee Galon, 19, fired multiple shots at the occupied victim's vehicle and then fled the scene before officers arrived. 

"Taking out a gun is never the answer when it comes to disputes," Verliz Williams, a spoksperson for TPD, said. "I mean, a vehicle already can be considered a weapon on its own. So, adding a vehicle and a gun on top of that, it’s a deadly mix."

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No one in the vehicle sustained injuries from the gunfire, but a victim took themselves to a local hospital with minor non-life-threatening injuries from the dispute.

Officers eventually made contact with Galon at his home where he was taken into custody. He was charged with Battery and Criminal Mischief, both of which are misdemeanors, and Shooting At Within Or Into A Vehicle.

TPD released some tips for avoiding road rage incidents:

• Practice Polite Driving Habits: Avoid tailgating, speeding, break-checking, or using obscenities directed at other drivers.
• Don't Engage: If you notice a driver that's enraged, do not further engage with him/her. Give the aggressive driver lots of room and do not follow them.
• Don't Drive Under Distress: Avoid driving when you're emotions are high. Drivers should be cool, calm, and collected before getting behind the wheel.

"With roadway altercations, the worst thing you can do is constantly elevate it," Williams said. "It takes two people to elevate a roadway altercation."

Most importantly, if you believe that you are in danger or that another driver is attempting to start an altercation, do not follow the vehicle and call our non-emergency number at 813-231-6130 or dial 9-1-1. Be sure to provide operators with as much information about the driver and vehicle as you can to assist officers in locating the aggressive driver.

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