Three years after a stray bullet ended 7-year-old Yitzian Torres Garcia’s life on the Courtney Campbell Causeway, his family is heading back to the shoreline on Saturday at 9 a.m., turning the holiday weekend into a public plea for answers. They plan to set off white fireworks, release pigeons and hold a memorial at the exact spot where Yitzian died. Relatives say they are deeply frustrated by what they describe as a lack of updates from investigators and hope renewed attention will finally shake loose the tip that leads to an arrest. To date, police have not publicly identified a suspect or made any arrests in the case.
What investigators say about the shooting
According to a Tampa Police Department news release, cited by the City of Tampa, the gunfire started after an argument between two groups about jet skis near Ben T. Davis Beach. In the chaos, a stray bullet pierced a pickup truck and killed Yitzian as his grandfather tried to shield him.
Reward lifted to spur tips
In an effort to move the stalled case, investigators and community partners have raised the potential reward for information to as much as $25,000, with ATF officials contributing $5,000 toward a joint fund. The case is also posted on Crime Stoppers of Tampa Bay, which lists the reward structure and how people can submit tips.
Family to hold memorial and plead for justice
Relatives say they will return to the causeway this weekend not only to remember Yitzian but also to ask anyone who was in the area that night to take another look at their phones, cameras or social media for video or images that might help police.
Yitzian’s grandmother, Marisol Ayala, told WFLA, “How could I forget him? He was always with me. He was innocent. He was a good boy.”
Hoodline has followed the family’s ongoing push for justice and earlier anniversary gatherings; the outlet previously covered their earlier appeals last year.
Police: leads but no arrests yet
Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw told local reporters that detectives do have leads and believe video or other information is still out there that could help crack the case. So far, though, no one has been arrested, according to FOX 13. Authorities say they continue to review tips and footage from the night of the shooting as part of an active homicide investigation.
How to submit tips
Anyone with information that might help the investigation is asked to contact the Tampa Police Department at (813) 231-6130 or submit an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers of Tampa Bay. Officials note that, to qualify for potential reward money, callers must go through Crime Stoppers first, as outlined in the Tampa Police Department’s release.
