A 21-year-old man circled a St. Petersburg house in a silver Buick SUV before his 18-year-old brother stepped out with a high-caliber rifle and opened fire, sending bullets clean through the home while two people slept inside. Andres Carlos Wong and Francisco Emilino Wong were arrested Thursday, September 17, in connection with the pre-dawn shooting on 45th Street, according to arrest affidavits obtained by investigators.
The shooting happened around 2:56 a.m. on September 12, as reported by WFLA. Affidavits describe Andres Carlos Wong driving the Buick past the home multiple times before his younger brother directed him to park in the alley behind the residence. Francisco Emilino Wong then got out of the vehicle with the rifle and fired numerous rounds into the house, according to the outlet's reporting.
The bullets passed through one side of the house and exited the other, traveling directly over two people who were asleep in their bed at the time, the affidavits state. The trajectory underscores how close the incident came to turning deadly.
A Grudge and a Getaway Plan
Investigators say Andres Carlos Wong was looking for a specific person he'd had a disagreement with when he drove the SUV around the block that night. He later told officers he knew the shooting was about to happen while he served as the getaway driver, per the same affidavits cited in the outlet's report.
Both brothers admitted to the crime after being read their Miranda rights, according to arrest papers. Francisco Emilino Wong reportedly told police he used one of several firearms that law enforcement later recovered from the brothers' home.
Why Both Brothers Face the Same Charges
Even though only Francisco Emilino Wong is accused of firing the weapon, his older brother faces equivalent criminal exposure. Florida Statute § 777.011 classifies anyone who knowingly aids or assists in a crime — including a getaway driver — as a principal in the first degree, subject to the same charges as the person who pulled the trigger, according to Pumphrey Law.
Shooting into an occupied dwelling under Florida Statute § 790.19 is a second-degree felony, carrying a maximum sentence of up to 15 years in state prison, per the Florida Senate's statutory language. Under Florida Statutes § 775.082 and § 775.083, a second-degree felony conviction can also carry fines of up to $10,000 per count.
The 2013 case Paul v. State addressed shooting or throwing missiles, according to FindLaw's summary of the Florida Supreme Court ruling.
Multiple Firearms Recovered From the Home
Law enforcement recovered multiple firearms at the brothers' residence during the investigation.
Part of a Broader Pattern in St. Petersburg
This shooting adds to a string of recent gunfire incidents involving young adults in St. Petersburg homes. Just days earlier, St. Petersburg Police were searching for an 18-year-old after a shooting on Cherry Street Northeast left a man seriously injured.
The department reported in July that it had resolved all open homicide cases from 2025, a sign of active clearance efforts even as new violent incidents continue to surface across Pinellas County.
Formal charges from the State Attorney's Office, along with the outcome of any initial bond hearings, had not been detailed in the arrest affidavits reviewed. Ballistics testing to confirm whether the seized weapons match the bullets that tore through the 45th Street house also remains pending.
