Page 40 - Florida Sentinel 10-28-22

Crime
Man Shot Outside Club Dies, Suspect Charged With Murder
Man Indicted For Confronting Citizens
Police responded to the intersection of N. 16th Street and E. 7th Avenue early Sun- day in reference to a shoot- ing. When they arrived at the location, they discovered that a man had been shot.
According to the Tampa Police Department, at ap- proximately 2:50 a.m., on October 23, 2022, as nightlife establishments were closing, a physical altercation broke out between several individ- uals at the intersection of N. 16th St. and E. 7th Ave. The suspect involved, a 21-year- old male, attacked and shot the victim, a 20-year-old male, striking him in the upper body.
The victim, identified on FaceBook as Audea Thames, 20, of Lakeland, was transported to a local hospital, where he was ad-
sound of gunfire and imme- diately began chasing after the potential suspect was seen fleeing on foot.
Officers caught the indi- vidual three blocks south at the intersection of N. 16th St. and E. 4th Ave. A firearm was recovered, as well. The per- son of interest was identified as 21-year-old Jatony Ty- keese Torres.
Tampa Police are at- tempting to identify a second man who was armed and fired a weapon during the or- deal. There is no indication that he hit anyone.
Anyone with information related to this ongoing inves- tigation is asked to call the Tampa Police Depart- ment at (813) 231-6130 or share information through Tip411, which can be found on the Tampa PD app.
Man Pleads Guilty To Selling Cocaine At Gentlemen’s Club
LEON ERICK WILLIAMS
A 41-year-old man has pleaded guilty to two counts of distributing cocaine. If con- victed, he is facing a maximum of 20 years in federal prison.
A sentencing date has not been scheduled.
According to court docu- ments, on February 7, 2022, Leon Erick Williams, of St. Petersburg, sold cocaine to un- dercover police officers at a Gentleman’s Club in Pinellas Park. The following day, Williams coordinated an- other cocaine deal with under- cover officers via text message.
On February 10, 2022, Williams sold an additional quantity of cocaine to the un- dercover officers in the rest- room of Gentleman’s Club.
With Gun On Riverwalk
JATONY TYKEESE TORRES
mitted in critical condition. The man later died.
Several Tampa Police Of- ficers were on scene at the time of the incident working to clear the crowds as the bars and nightclubs were closing. Due to their close proximity, officers heard the
A 38-year-old Tampa man has been indicting for confronting citizens with a gun on the downtown Riverwalk. Meccos Donta Allen faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 15 years, and up to life, in fed- eral prison.
Prosecutors alleged in open court that on July 29, 2022, Allen confronted multiple citizens along Tampa’s Riverwalk.
In one instance, Allen approached a couple sitting on a swing. The couple de- parted, returning to their nearby residence, and Allen followed them and pointed a gun at them as they entered their complex.
In a second incident, Allen confronted another couple that were sitting on a bench on the south end of Tampa’s Riverwalk. During this confrontation, Allen allegedly pointed his gun at one victim and groped an- other.
Officers from the Tampa Police Department re-
MECCOS ALLEN
sponded to the area and made contact with Allen, who fled on foot as the offi- cers approached. While fleeing, Allen dropped a Glock pistol.
The indictment alleges that at the time of the inci- dent, Allen had prior felony convictions for bat- tery, delivery of cocaine within 1,000 feet of a school, possession of co- caine with intent to deliver, and delivery of cocaine. As a result of the convictions, he is prohibited from possess- ing a firearm or ammuni- tion under federal law.
School Locked Down
After Man Alleges Being
Chased With Gun
Last Friday, shortly after 8:30 a.m., a staff member at Shaw Elementary School, 11311 N. 15th Street, observed an adult man frantically banging on the front door of the administrative building asking to be let inside. In fear, the staff member pushed her Centegix crisis alert button, which all school employees wear daily, prompting a lockdown.
The individual, later iden- tified as James Oscar Williams, 44, was told to leave school property.
Williams instead, ran to a separate school entrance, attempting to get inside, then he jumped a fence onto school property next to the door. A Hillsborough County Schools Security Officer came in contact with Williams, intercepting his attempts to get any further.
In talking with Williams, he claimed a man was chasing him with a gun. Williams had cuts on his hands and a small amount of blood on his t-shirt, which he said came from jumping the
JAMES WILLIAMS
fence of a nearby home as he fled the alleged suspect.
Tampa Police searched the surrounding area and school property for the al- leged suspect. No one match- ing the description provided by Williams was located, no sounds of gunshots were ever reported, and there is no in- dication that a weapon was ever on campus.
Williams was arrested for trespassing on school property and may face a mental health evaluation as well.
The lockdown at Shaw El- ementary was lifted after less than an hour.
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