HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — Hillsborough County deputies arrested a 15-year-old boy for his role in a deadly shooting outside the Citrus Park Town Center mall.
Detectives say they determined a fight between two groups of teenage boys occurred following a planned "slapboxing" event in the parking garage.
Slapboxing is an activity in which people simulate boxing using open-handed slaps instead of fists. Participants can be injured because the goal is to slap an opponent as hard as possible while avoiding being slapped in return.
The Sheriff's Office says that after they finished slapboxing, the groups shook hands and left.
However, a short time later, some individuals reunited near the Red Robin restaurant outside the mall. Detectives say that is when a fight broke out, and the shooting occurred.
Deputies arrested the teen on Thursday night. He is charged with Murder in the Second Degree, Minor in Possession of a Firearm, and Carrying a Concealed Firearm.
"It's not going to bring my son back, but I'm happy that's going to give him justice so that he can rest in peace... When I found out about even the reasoning behind it, it just made me very angry," Peter's mother, Bianca Cooper, said.
"This 15-year-old defendant will be facing adult charges because he made an adult decision with a firearm. It breaks our hearts to see another young person lost to gun violence. We will stand with the victim’s family to ensure the person responsible for his death is held accountable,” said State Attorney Suzy Lopez.
"There is no excuse for a teenager to have access to a weapon. It is our responsibility as parents to hold them accountable before it’s too late," said Sheriff Chad Chronister. "Parents, please have those important conversations with your children. Make them understand the consequences of their actions, especially when it comes to firearms."
Cooper told ABC Action news she does not know the other teenagers involved but said they were not friends of her son. She urges other parents to get more involved in their kids' lives.
"I've lost my son, and now someone else's family is affected. Now, you know, now their son is locked up, and now their son is taken away at such a young age. So it affects both people, and we have to do something as a community. We have to do something as parents. We have got to do more," Cooper added.
Authorities said Peter "PJ" Hyman Jr. is the 16-year-old boy who was shot. He later died at a local hospital.
Cooper said her son attended Jefferson High School and was an honor student.
The family started a GoFundMe page to help pay for medical bills and funeral expenses.
“You threw my son under the bus. You didn't take care of him.”
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