TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa Police arrested a 13-year-old boy for shooting another teen on New Year's Day at Curtis Hixon Park.
According to investigators,the shooting was the result of an altercation between two teenagers.
Police said two teens got into a fight around 8:48 p.m. January 1.
During the fight, about six other teens jumped in to help the accused 13-year-old boy, who pulled out a gun and fired.
A 16-year-old boy was struck in the upper body. He was transported to a local hospital and treated.
The suspect and the group of teens ran from the area right after the shooting.
Police were able to track the 13-year-old suspect to his family's home in Tampa on Wednesday and arrest him.
Police are working to determine where the teen obtained the gun used in the incident.
To Maress Scott, shootings like this are far too often. That's why he goes into communities, handing out pledges to young people. A pledge to stop the violence.
"I think we had over over 400 kids this year in St. Petersburg adopt the non violent lifestyle because of our trainings. We got close to 5,000 pledges out there in the city where it's needed. But also, more importantly, it tells us that it's not enough. It's time for all hands on deck. We need everybody who can get involved to get involved, because we're in the state of emergency," Scott said.
He grew up in Chicago. At one point, Scott was a gangmember. He never wanted gun violence to be a part of his children's lives. But his son Marquis was fatally shot in 2019.
"I didn't raise my kids up in Chicago. I chose to raise them down here. So I never expected to have dinner with my son and 20 minutes later he's gonna be gone," he said.
The shooting at Curtis Hixon Park is not a somber reminder of the work left to do, especially with young people.
"I recall when I was out in the neighborhood talking with the youth in those neighborhoods who were likely to use gun violence. They were ages 19 to about 25,28. And they spoke specifically about being afraid of the 13, 14 and 15 year olds with guns."
His New Year Resolution; working even harder to guns out of hands of young people.
"My goal this year is to tackle at least five cities throughout either Florida itself or five different cities with our mission,"he added.
