A Tampa distance runner says an older man repeatedly tailed her in a car and snapped photos while she trained along Bayshore Boulevard, leading her to file a police report after the latest encounter. She told a reporter the incidents started in April and continued through June and July, enough to make her consider changing her usual route. Her TikTok about the run-ins set off a neighborhood response, with a nearby resident putting up warning signs by the pirate-ship landmark along the popular path. Tampa police told a local TV station they spoke with the man and ultimately decided no criminal law had been broken.
Bayshore Boulevard Investigation
Runner Brice Pinson said she first noticed a man taking photos from a car in April and later recognized the same vehicle during runs in June and July. She recorded video of the driver and the license plate before filing a report, according to FOX 13. Pinson told the station officers informed her that two other reports had already been made about the same individual. The Tampa Police Department told the station its officers met with the man and determined that, in this situation, there was no violation of the law.
What the Law Covers
Florida's voyeurism and video voyeurism statutes focus on secret recording in places where a person has a reasonable expectation of privacy, while the state's stalking law targets willful, malicious, repeated following or harassment, according to the Florida Legislature. Courts and legal guides also note that photography in public, where there is no reasonable expectation of privacy, is often treated as protected expression. The Tampa Police Department's website explains how residents can file reports, submit tips and access victim advocacy resources if they feel threatened, and provides contact numbers for emergencies and non-emergencies.
Community Response and Safety
Pinson's TikTok prompted local resident Dominic Antonaelli to post warning flyers near the Bayshore pirate-ship landmark, and she told the station she has received messages from other women describing similar encounters, as FOX 13 reported. Pinson urged runners to trust their instincts, record suspicious behavior and contact police instead of confronting someone directly.
How Runners Can Protect Themselves
Runners who feel they are being watched or followed should call 911 if they believe they are in immediate danger, and use Tampa PD's non-emergency line or online reporting tools to document incidents, according to the department's guidance. Practical precautions such as running with a partner or group, varying routes and times, carrying a phone and noting license-plate numbers or taking brief video can help deter unwanted attention and create a record if behavior escalates into stalking or criminal conduct.
