ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Detectives are begging for the community in South St. Pete to step in to combat gun violence. Nine people have been shot in November alone in South St. Petersburg.
On Tuesday, officers were investigating another shooting that injured three men ages 16, 17 and 20 years old. Investigators believe the latest shooting is drug related, but they're concerned because it's just the latest in a spike in crimes.
Just after 11 Tuesday morning, dispatchers received a 911 call about three young men being shot in a residential neighborhood on 9th Avenue South. All three were rushed to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Devontae Brinson lives on 9th Avenue S and knew at least one of the people shot.
"It's crazy that it happened today. It's supposed to be Thanksgiving week, and people are preparing for Thanksgiving and getting ready with family and friends having fun. It isn't supposed to go down when one of your homies or friends get shot," he said.
Detectives are still looking for the person who may have pulled the trigger. They're also not sure if more than one gunman was involved in the crime, but it comes just hours after police investigated two other men shot.
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Yolanda Fernandez, the spokesperson for the St. Petersburg Police Department, says even though the shootings do not seem related, it represents a serious problem.
"Whether it ends up in a fatality or minor injuries, it's a big concern because it could have been much worse especially when you consider kids are out of school and this is a neighborhood right out in front of a home," Fernandez elaborated.
Officers are urging everyone in the community to help them by coming forward with tips. They're also urging everyone to take a stand against violence.
The shooting of the three young men comes less than two weeks after a young mother was killed after detectives say she was caught in the crossfire during a large, late-night gathering in a hair salon parking lot in South St. Pete.
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Police are still looking for Tyree Lamons Bell, age 25, in relation to her shooting.
Two days after her death, there was another shooting on the same night community members came together to call an end to the violence.
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Jermere Black, who lives on 9th Avenue South says he's fed up with the violence.
"A bullet doesn't have a name on it. A bullet can go anywhere. You can be a bystander and you don't even know the people and you get shot," he added.
According to the officers, Tuesday's shooting happened at 1014 9th Ave South. That's a neighborhood street.
