Page 2 - Florida Sentinel 6-28-18

Features
Teen Suffering
Psychiatrist Discusses Mental Illness And Law
From Gunshot Still
In Serious Condition
As detectives with the Tampa Po- lice Department continue to investi- gate, a teenager who was shot last week, remains in serious condition. The shooting took place in the 3100 block of E. Cayuga.
A spokesperson for the Tampa Police Department said, “We still have not received any information from the community about this shooting. We need anyone who knows anything about it to please come forward.”
Shortly before midnight, Thurs- day, June 21st, 14-year-old East Tampa youngster was walking home after visiting a friend’s home. For un- determined reasons, an unidentified gunman shot him and fled in a light colored vehicle, police believe.
When officers arrived, they dis- covered De’Nico Thomas lying in the street. He was suffering from a gunshot wound to the left side of the abdomen.
Thomas was transported to a local hospital, where he underwent surgery for the injury. He was listed in critical condition. He remains in serious condition, a spokesman for the department said.
The spokesperson further said, “On the night of Denico Thomas’s shooting, Tampa Police were on the scene conducting the initial investi- gation, when two females provided information to the investigating offi- cers, regarding a vehicle nearly strik- ing them. The females said that they were walking in the area of 34th Street and E. Emma with a small child, at the time.
“Tampa Police Homicide investi- gators are requesting that the same two females please contact the Tampa Police Homicide Unit, directly (813) 276-3230).”
Earlier this week, Tampa Police
DE’NICO KEITH THOMAS ... Recovering from gunshot wound
Chief Brian Dugan appealed to the community to address gun violence and help solve the case.
Chief Dugan said, “It doesn’t matter your economic background or where you live, we cannot have gun violence in the streets of our nation, let alone the city of Tampa. Our offi- cers work very hard to reduce crime, and this is not the way we want to start off the summer.
“Someone is going to want to blame the victim and ask why he was out at midnight. That is completely irrelevant. Something we need to do as a police department, the media, and society is stop blaming the vic- tims. We need to stand up and say the violence is enough and put an end to it, Chief Dugan said.
He also stressed the importance of community members and police working together to help prevent fu- ture shootings from taking place.
Anyone with information pertain- ing to the shooting is asked to contact Crime Stoppers of Tampa Bay at 1- 800-873-TIPS or www.crimestopper- stb.com.
DR. SHARON ANDREWS ...Psychiatrist
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
Recently, a 30-year-old man was arrested after police say he deliberately killed a father and injured his two sons. The incident took place shortly before noon last Sunday.
According to the Tampa Police Depart- ment, 42-year-old Pedro Aguerreberry and his two sons, Lucas, 8, and 3-year-old Bennett were riding their bicycles on the sidewalk. Mikese Morse, is accused of driv- ing his maroon Dodge Avenger across the traffic lane, deliberately hitting the family.
Aguerreberry died as a result of his in- juries. His son, Bennett, was seriously in- jured, and Lucas received non-life threatening injuries. Both children are ex- pected to recover, police said.
Prior to the incident, police records show that on June 12th, Morse had gone into the Tampa Police District II Office and told an of- ficer that if they let him go, he was going to kill someone.
Morse was Baker acted and transported to Grace Point Mental Health facility for 72 days.
Morse parents, Michael and Khadeeja Morse, told local news outlets that they had been trying to get help for their son for the past 10 years. Morse has been charged with first-degree murder.
MIKESE MORSE
... Charged with killing father, injuring two children
When contacted by the Sentinel, Psychi- atrist, Dr. Sharon Andrews Gray shared some insight to the laws pertaining to mental health.
“The parents did all of the right things. But it is hard to keep someone beyond 72 hours if that person is not suicidal or homici- dal. In order to hold a person beyond 72, the doctor must petition the courts and submit paperwork to extend that time.”
She further said that the patient’s wishes must also be taken into consideration. “If the patient tells you that he is not going to hurt himself or hurt anyone else, we must release them. And, the patients know exactly what to say. It takes a lot to hold someone beyond those 72 hours,” she said.
Dr. Andrews-Gray is currently em- ployed at the James A. Haley Veterans Ad- ministration Hospital and has been working in her chosen field for more than two decades.
A Tampa native, Dr. Andrews-Gray graduated from Meharry Medical College. She completed her Residency in Psychiatry at Meharry Medical School as well. She holds a Florida State Medical License.
Dr. Andrews-Gray further stated that the lack of insurance also comes into play. She said the treatment is expensive and if the pa- tient lacks the capacity to pay, then the insur- ance will only pay for a certain number of days of treatment.
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