A Saturday morning shooting in Tampa left a woman fighting for her life and the suspected gunman critically injured after police say he turned the weapon on himself.
Tampa Police said officers were called just before 10:45 a.m. to the 400 block of East Oak Avenue, where they found a woman suffering from a gunshot wound. She was rushed to a nearby hospital in critical condition.
Investigators said the suspected shooter, an adult man who knew the woman, fled the scene. Officers later found him near North 12th Street and East Palifox Street with what police described as a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was also transported to a hospital in critical condition. The relationship between the two has not yet been publicly detailed, and detectives are still piecing together what led up to the violence.
What Police Reported
According to FOX 13 News, responding officers found the wounded woman on East Oak Avenue shortly before 10:45 a.m. The outlet reported that the suspect took off from the scene and was later tracked to the North 12th Street and East Palifox Street area, where officers discovered him with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Both were taken to local hospitals and listed in critical condition.
Neighborhood Context
The intersection near North 12th Street and East Palifox sits in East Tampa, a community that has endured several violent incidents this year. The area was already on edge after the North 12th Street fatal shooting of a 16-year-old girl earlier this year, as previously reported.
How To Help Investigators
Tampa Police are asking anyone who saw or heard anything connected to Saturday’s shooting, or who has information about what led up to it, to contact the department’s non-emergency line at 813-231-6130. Tips can also be submitted online, including through Tip411 and other channels listed by the city. Details on how to reach detectives are available on the Tampa Police Department website.
What Investigators Say Next
Detectives described the case as an active investigation and said that, based on early information, the man and woman were known to each other. Authorities have not released their names or any additional details about their connection.
"This is an active investigation. Updates will be released as they become available," police said, according to FOX 13 News.
