TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – A 13-year-old was shot in Florida on Tuesday after neighbors said they heard an argument over an electric scooter.
Several people in the East Tampa neighborhood said scooters have become a flashpoint for trouble there.
“I heard a lot of commotion and the commotion was about the teenagers across the street arguing about the scooters,” said resident Cathie Autry as she described what she saw in the same area Monday night.
The next night, a similar argument broke out and resulted in gunfire. A 13-year-old was shot and critically injured.
“When the light pole comes on, the kids come out from everywhere. In the streets, disrespectful, running in front of cars, I’m surprised nobody got killed earlier,” said a man who lives in the neighborhood, but who did not want to be identified.
“It’s just their scooters, just get them scooters from over there and I think everything will be all right because the kids are out of school and they ain’t got nothing to do,” he said.
Tampa City Councilman Orlando Gudes said the problem isn’t scooters – it’s guns.
“What are we going to do to stop this senseless violence. I don’t have the answer, but I hope someone can get with me and we can find a solution to the problem,” Gudes said.
Tampa police are asking anyone with information about the shooting to come forward so they can arrest the person responsible.