Page 37 - Florida Sentinel 8-26-22

Crime
Man Charged
Student With Gun On Campus Arrested
With Murder Of
1-Year-Old Child
A 17-year-old student was arrested after it was deter- mined he was in possession of a gun while on campus. The incident took place at Hills- borough High School, 5000 Central Avenue.
According to the Tampa Police Department, on Au- gust 22nd, shortly after 2:30 p.m., the School Resource Of-
ficer assigned to the school was notified by a student that another student had a firearm on campus. The SRO imme- diately responded to the gym- nasium, located the student and escorted him to the office.
The student, identified as Elijah Ford, admitted to having a firearm in his pos- session, which was recovered
from his backpack. He was arrested and charged with possession of a firearm on school property and being a minor in possession of a firearm. He was transported to JAC Center without inci- dent.
Ford never threatened anyone on the campus with the firearm.
Police have arrested a 28- year-old man in connection with the death of an infant. He was charged with first-de- gree murder.
According to the Tampa Police Department, around 3 p. m., August 1, 2022, offi- cers responded to a call of a one-year-old child who was not breathing at an apart- ment located on the 6700 block of Woodville St.
After being transported to Saint Joseph’s Hospital, the child was later pronounced dead.
An autopsy was con- ducted by the Hillsborough County Medical Examiners’ Office, revealing that the vic- tim appeared to suffer from injuries to the abdomen and head.
According to a witness, while giving the child a bath, Smith struck the child for being “whiny,” before laying the victim in a crib. Other juveniles in the home later observed that the victim was unresponsive and rushed the
Robbery
Tampa Man Jailed In Gainesville After High Speed Chase
TERIN SMITH
victim to a neighboring apartment to ask another adult for help.
Smith left the scene on foot prior to officers arriving. During the course of an investigation, detectives learned that the victim lived with, and was in the care of 28-year-old Terin Smith while the victim’s
mother went to work.
On Sunday, August 21,
Smith was arrested in Clarksville, Tennessee, and charged with first-degree murder while engaged in ag- gravated child abuse.
After Shooting
Suspect Indicted
At Deputy
A 20- year-old Tampa man is facing sev- eral federal charges after an indict- ment was ob- tained by the
U. S. Attor- MA’AT MALIK ney’s Office. DARIUS LEE
Ma’at
Malik Darius Lee is also ac- cused of shooting at a Hills- borough County deputy at least 8 times when the deputy attempted to stop the stolen vehicle Lee was driving. The deputy was not injured.
According to court docu- ments, on July 9, 2021, Lee robbed two individuals at gun- point in the parking lot of the victims’ apartment complex. In the weeks that followed, Lee attempted to use the vic- tims’ identities and credit cards.
On October 27, 2021, Lee robbed a third victim at gun- point as the victim was return- ing home. An hour later, while brandishing a firearm in each hand, Lee carjacked a fourth victim of a 2007 Jeep Chero- kee outside of a Dave and Buster’s in Tampa.
He is also charged with armed carjacking, brandishing a firearm during and in rela- tion to a crime of violence, ag- gravated identity theft, wire fraud, and possession of a stolen firearm an ammunition.
If convicted on all counts, Lee faces a maximum sen- tence of life imprisonment, in- cluding a minimum mandatory term of nine years in prison.
A 34-year-old Tampa man was arrested in Gainesville after he led several police agencies on a high-speed chase. The incident began in Tampa when Brandon Baker allegedly carjacked 3 other people Tuesday morn- ing.
During that incident Tampa Police responded to a reported carjacking in the 16000 block of Enclave Village Dr. Victim #1 was confronted by an armed man as she entered her car while preparing to leave for work. The suspect, later identified as Brandon J. Baker, demanded she exit the car, then fled the scene in the victim’s black Nissan Maxima. The victim was not injured.
Minutes later, officers re- sponded to a 9-1-1 call in the 6200 block of Ashbury Palms Dr. Reportedly, Baker forcibly entered a residence after committing the carjack- ing, and confronted victim #2, who is a known acquaintance.
Baker forced the victim out of the residence and into the Maxima. The victim was able to escape, at which time Baker fled the scene prior to police arrival.
The Maxima was found abandoned at Tampa Palms Blvd. and Compton Dr. The victim was not injured.
Approximately an hour later, Tampa Police responded to the report of a stolen vehicle that had just occurred in the 18000 block of Highwoods Preserve Pkwy.
The 3rd Victim was in the back of his white Isuzu box truck. When he exited the rear of the truck, he ob-
served
Baker in BAKER
the driver
seat. Baker then fled in the truck, which was equipped with GPS.
The truck’s location was determined, and the Florida Highway Patrol attempted a traffic stop entering Alachua County.
Baker refused to stop and began driving north in the southbound lanes of I-75. At multiple points the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office at- tempted to stop the vehicle without success.
Baker struck multiple law enforcement vehicles. Baker attempted to flee on foot, but was taken into custody by members of FHP and Alachua County Sheriff’s Office.
Two Alachua County Deputies sustained minor in- juries. No Florida Highway Patrol Troopers were injured.
Baker was taken to Alachua County Jail, and charged with armed carjack- ing, burglary with battery, kid- napping, and grand theft auto related to the incidents that occurred in Tampa, as well as multiple felony charges related to the incidents that occurred in Alachua County.
BRANDON
PAGE 20-A FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY FRIDAY FRIDAY, AUGUST 26, 2022