Bloomingdale High student killed, teen hospitalized in Halloween house party shooting in Thonotosassa
THONOTOSASSA, Fla. - A shooting at a Halloween party in Thonotosassa early Tuesday morning left a Bloomingdale High School student dead and sent another teen to the hospital.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office received multiple 911 calls reporting the shooting, which occurred at around 2:15 a.m. at a home in the 9900 block of Harney Road. When deputies arrived, they found one male victim with a gunshot wound. He was taken to a hospital and is expected to recover.
"We're told there were at least dozens and dozens and dozens of people attending this party on Harney Road," said Merissa Lynn, a spokesperson for the sheriff's office. "Right now there are no suspects in custody. We are urging the public, any partygoers who left the screen prior to our arrival to contact us. At this time, it's unclear if it's one suspect or multiple suspects involved at this incident."
READ: Florida troopers investigating deadly I-4 crash in Tampa involving semi-truck
Deputies said a female student at Bloomingdale High was killed, but they have not publicly identified her. She was found shot at Petrol Mart gas station located at 11511 US 301. She was taken to the hospital, but she died from her injuries.
Aerial view from SkyFOX showing home where deadly shooting occurred during a Halloween party.
"As far as I understand, the female was trying to leave the scene of the shooting, she was jumping in her car with a friend to try to get away, and she was shot there," Lynn said. "The friend, for some reason, ended up here at the Petrol Mart."
Full press conference: HCSO gives update on deadly shooting at Halloween party
Hillsborough County investigators said a female student at Bloomingdale High died after a shooting occurred at a Halloween party inside a Thonotosassa house. Another teenager was also injured in the shooting and detectives are searching for a suspect.
Several teenagers were being interviewed by deputies at the Petrol Mart. A white vehicle with a bullet hole was parked at one of the pumps.
A party goer who asked to remain anonymous told FOX 13 there were about 100 people at the party, ranging in ages from teenagers to about 30 years old. She said it didn't seem dangerous at first, but the vibe changed as the night turned into the early morning hours. A fight eventually broke out, leading to gunfire.
Neighbors, including Barry Brinson said he heard two rounds of gunfire.
"I heard a lot of gunfire. It was a lot of gunfire," Brinson said, who lives a few houses away from the shooting. "Soon after that, there was another huge amount of gunfire."
Neighbors saw party goers running for their lives and trying to escape in cars.
"You could see people running, mostly kids, teenagers," said Marwan Tafour, another neighbor.
"It’s terrible. It’s just absolutely a terrible thing. And to lose somebody that young," added Brinson.
Lynn said detectives are still trying to determine if adults were present during the party and providing drugs or alcohol.
Anyone with information is asked to call the sheriff's office at 813-247-8200.