Page 3 - 8-14-15 Friday's Edition Updated

Feature
Mom ‘My Son Had Support Of Parents And Family’
Massive Search For Black Male Who Shot Deputy In Thonotosassa
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
Recently, an article appeared in a daily newspaper featuring a photograph of Samuel “India” Clarke. Clarke died last month.
At the time of the murder, Clarke, who went by the names of “India or Tru Bella on Facebook,” was dressed in women’s clothing. His mother, Mrs. Thelma Clarke, felt at the time that too much em- phasis was being put on her son’s attire.
During an interview, Mrs. Clarke said her son didn’t care what anyone said about the way he was, and that he was very outspoken. She said he knew that he had the love and support of his entire fam- ily.
The article published earlier this week discussed LGBT (les- bian, gay, bi-sexual and trans- gender) individuals. Two individuals interviewed for the article said, many of their LGBT friends were “at-risk.”
“They were the young African Americans without supportive families, the sex workers on Nebraska Avenue. They were the ones who weren’t getting the help and support they needed from so- cial service programs,” the ar- ticle stated.
While Mrs. Clarke said she hopes the organization, known as Special For You And Me, gathers the support it needs, but that statement does not apply to her son.
“I want them to get the help they need. I understand that they are trying to help others, but using India is not the way. Don’t make it appear that India didn’t have support. My son had the support of his par- ents and his entire family.
“We encouraged him to go to school or get a job. He was living at home. Just before he
SAMUEL “INDIA” CLARKE 5/3/1990 --- 7/21/2015
died, we talked about him going back to school and he told me that he could go back and planned to go back. So, if he was on Nebraska, our fam- ily didn’t know about it, I was- n’t aware of it, and that was his choice, but he had the support of his family and he lived at home.”
She further said she was un- aware of her son’s member- ship in Special for You and Me, but that he could have been in- volved in the organization.
An employee of the Univer- sity Area Community Center, 14013 N. 22nd Street, discov- ered what appeared to be the body of a woman, shortly be- fore 9 a.m., on July 21st.
Police later identified the victim as Samuel Elija “India” Clarke, of Tampa. The cause of death was a fatal gunshot wound.
Within days, the Hillsbor- ough County Sheriff’s Office identified a suspect through physical evidence.
As family members made preparations for India’s fu- neral, 18-year-old Keith Lamayne Gaillard surren- dered to police. He was charged with first-degree mur- der and possession of a firearm by a violent career criminal. He is currently being held without bond at the Hills- borough County Jail.
Deputies responded to the 9400 block of Greystone Road in Thonotosassa at 12:30 a. m. Thursday on a report of some- one firing shots in the area.
When the three deputies ar- rived, they got out of their cruisers and began walking. One of them spotted a man about 20 yards away, and when he spotted the deputies, he reportedly started firing shots in their direction. The deputies returned fire.
Deputy Scott Ranney
was shot in the thigh and the other two deputies immedi- ately ran to his aid. During that time, the suspect report- edly took off running.
Deputies said it’s unknown if the suspect was shot when they returned fire, and he was last seen fleeing into a wooded area.
A perimeter was set up in the area, but the shooter had not been caught as of presstime. Residents in that area were asked to report all
Scene this morning from the area where shooting took place.
suspicious persons or activi-
ties.
Deputy Ranney is re- ported to be in stable condi- tion at a local hospital.
Other than describing the shooter as a Black male, no other suspect information was released.
A long time residents in the area said the area where the shooting took place is a large subdivision that also has a few duplexes. The area is also pre-
dominantly African American populated.
Spokesperson Larry McK- innon said it’s unknown if the shooter lives in that neighbor- hood.
“Some residents we’ve inter- viewed have said they don’t know who he is, but we know he was visiting someone in that area.
“When deputies arrived, the shooter was standing in the street, not in front of a resi- dence.”
Bicyclist Cited In Traffic Accident
A 30-year-old bicyclist was transported to a local hospital after being injured in an acci- dent. The accident took place at the intersection of N. 34th Street and E. Hillsborough Av- enue Thursday.
Tampa Police responded to the scene in reference to the traffic accident shortly before 6:30 p.m. Upon arrival, offi- cers learned that Don Key, Jr., of Riverview, had been struck by a vehicle driven by Tony Chillura, of Valrico.
Police said Key was travel- ing southbound through the stopped traffic on E. Hillsbor- ough Avenue. He was approx- imately 20 feet east of N. 34th Street, when his bicycle struck the right front fender of Chillura’s vehicle. Chillura was in the turn lane and had the green light.
Key was treated at the scene by Tampa Fire Rescue and transported to St. Joseph’s Hospital for further treatment. Officers issued Key a citation at the hospital.
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