Page 3 - Florida Sentinel 5-5-17

Features
Police Need Help To Solve Murder Of 18-Year-Old Man
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office is seeking the public’s help to solve a mur- der. The shooting death of Aqkil David Brooks took place in the 8200 block of Trammell Trail, in Riverview.
According to police, Brooks was outside of a res- idence when he was fatally wounded by gunfire. He died at the scene Tuesday, shortly before 4 a.m.
There was no additional information about the shoot- ing available at press time. Police are asking anyone with information about the mur- der to contact the Hillsbor- ough County Sheriff’s Office at (813) 247-8200.
Crime Stoppers of Tampa Bay is also offering a reward of up to $3,000 for informa- tion leading to the identity, arrest, and conviction of the
AQKIL DAVID BROOKS 6/25/1998 --- 5/2/2017
suspect.
Anyone wishing to pro-
vide information can contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-873- TIPS, or www.crimestopper- stb.com.
HOPE Members Pleased That Senate Passed Bill To Give Juveniles ‘A 2nd Chance’
BY GWEN HAYES Sentinel Editor
HOPE members have been working on this issue in Hills- borough County for 4 years.
The members of Hillsbor- ough Organization For Progress and Equality, Inc. (HOPE) are breathing a half sigh of relief after the Florida Senate on Monday (May 1) voted 35-1 to make it a require- ment that law enforcement agencies send first-time juve- niles younger than 18 to diver- sion programs, rather than give them an arrest record.
“Our children deserve a second chance...the system is arresting too many of our juve- niles. We need equal justice,” Rev. Bernice Powell Jack- son, Pastor of First United Church of Tampa, told the Sentinel on Tuesday.
Rev. Jackson and Sharon Streater, founder and also a member of HOPE, traveled to Tallahassee last month to address the Legisla- ture about their concerns over the escalating number of juve- nile arrests.
“Over the past 5 years,
REV. BERNICE POWELL JACKSON
there have been over 10,000 arrests where the youngsters could have received a civil cita- tion,” she said.
Rev. Jackson also said the arrest records follow the young people for the rest of their lives. “It will affect their ability to get a job, enter the military, even college.”
HOPE, founded in Septem- ber 1988, is a multi-issue, jus- tice ministry organization that currently consists of 22 inter- faith, multicultural, and inter- racial member congregations in Hillsborough County.
HOPE didn’t just start to working on this issue.
“This was our first trip to Tallahassee, but we’ve been working with Hillsborough County on this issue for the past 4 years, and 3 years statewide. We reached out to Democrats and Republicans. We’re pleased that Senator Anitere Flores of Miami championed this bill to make a difference.”
The bill will cover 12 non- serious misdemeanors, such as school yard fights, taking a tee shirt, or loitering. “No serious offenses will be included. We don’t condone any of this, but the kids shouldn’t have to suf- fer for the rest of their lives for a minor offense they did at age 14,” Rev. Jackson said.
Representative Sean Shaw said, “The diversion program language introduced by Senator Flores that is- sues civil citations to juveniles who have committed certain misdemeanors for the first time, I believe, is a step in the right direction toward good ju- venile justice reform. I think it is long overdue and the time is now to invest in our youth rather than allow them to be- come another statistic in our prison system.”
Reward Offered In Murder Of East Tampa Man
Crime Stoppers of Tampa Bay is offering a reward for information in connection with the murder of a Tampa man. The body of Curtis Eu- gene Thomas, 39, was dis- covered in the parking lot of the Lake Avenue Liquors, 2209 E. Lake Avenue, shortly before 1 a.m., on April 27, 2017.
According to police, offi- cers responded to a 9-1-1 call at approximately 12:42 a.m. When they arrived, they dis- covered Thomas’s body. He had suffered severe trauma to his upper body.
Police said the circum- stances surrounding the mur- der are unknown. However, they don’t believe this was a random act of violence.
Police are asking anyone with information about the murder to contact the Tampa Police Department or Crime Stoppers of Tampa Bay.
CURTIS THOMAS 5/14/1977 --- 4/27/2017
Crime Stoppers of Tampa Bay is also offering a reward of up to $3,000 for informa- tion leading to the identity, arrest, and conviction of the suspect.
Anyone wishing to pro- vide information can contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-873- TIPS, or www.crimestopper- stb.com.
FRIDAY, MAY 5, 2017 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 3-A