Crime
Tampa Halloween Horror: Mugshot Released of Suspect in Deadly Shooting Spree
Clear Facts
- Tyrell Stephen Phillips, 22, is charged with second-degree murder for the Tampa Halloween shooting.
- Two were killed, including a 14-year-old boy, and 18 others injured during the attack.
- Tampa’s Ybor City was filled with Halloween revelers when the tragedy unfolded.
In the wake of the shocking Halloween weekend bloodshed in Tampa, Florida, authorities have put a face to the horror.
The mugshot of Tyrell Stephen Phillips, 22, now circulates as the primary suspect in the chilling episode that claimed two lives, one being a mere 14-year-old boy, and injured 18 others.
Tampa mass shooting suspect Tyrell Stephen Phillips isn’t white.
— Paul A. Szypula 🇺🇸 (@Bubblebathgirl) October 30, 2023
He’s also a registered Democrat. pic.twitter.com/TMG3TpemQN
The festive atmosphere in Tampa’s Ybor City, renowned for its bustling nightlife, was shattered in the early hours around 3 a.m. A disagreement between two groups quickly spiraled into a hail of gunfire.
In the immediate aftermath, a 14-year-old and a 20-year-old lay lifeless, while 18 others nursed their wounds. Among the injured, 16 were rushed to hospitals, with five still clinging to life under medical care.
🔴 BREAKING NEWS | 🇺🇸
— Breaking News (@PlanetReportHQ) October 29, 2023
In this video, we can clearly see the individual pulling out a weapon and firing it.#Tampa #shooting #ActiveShooter #MassShooting #YborCity #Florida #FloridaState #ShotFired #Usa pic.twitter.com/ObpzFssKa4
Witness video footage captured the initial carefree mood of costumed patrons outside bars and clubs. But the jubilant scene turned to sheer panic as bullets flew.
Revelers scrambled for cover, diving behind any available shield, while others tragically hit the pavement.
🚨 BREAKING: Mass shooting in Tampa, Florida left 2 dead and at least 18 injured. pic.twitter.com/2BS2fvt4TW
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) October 29, 2023
BREAKING: Multiple people shot in a shooting in Ybor City neighborhood in Tampa, Florida
— Insider Paper (@TheInsiderPaper) October 29, 2023
pic.twitter.com/fsidI7toyS
Phillips was arrested shortly after an invaluable tip pointed authorities in his direction. In response to the devastation, Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw voiced his department’s dedication to swift justice.
He emphasized, “We make arrests quickly and with a sense of urgency. If you commit a crime in Tampa, you are going to pay for it and you are going to be charged.”
Yet, amid the official procedures, a father grieves.
Emmitt Wilson, mourning the loss of his 14-year-old son Elijah Jaquan Wilson, spoke heartbreakingly to WFLA: “I have lost my son, I have lost a second son to gun violence. In 2014, I lost my child. Now here it is, 2023, and my baby boy, he’s gone now from gun violence.”
Clear Thoughts
Once again, our nation has been brutally reminded of the escalating violence infiltrating our communities. The recent Tampa tragedy, where a Halloween celebration was marred by senseless violence, underscores the urgent need for our country to re-evaluate its priorities.
At the heart of this crisis is the dissolution of traditional values and the waning respect for human life. While the left continues to push for laxer law enforcement and broad brush police as the enemy, events like these challenge their misguided narrative. It’s undeniable that a society without rules and respect for authority is a society on the brink of chaos.
It’s heartbreaking to hear the anguish of Emmitt Wilson, who has now lost two sons to gun violence. How many more fathers and mothers must grieve before we recognize the deeper issues at play?
As conservatives, we believe in the sanctity of life and the importance of strong community bonds. It’s time to advocate for a return to these foundational principles. Our neighborhoods should be places of safety and camaraderie, not grounds for violence.
Instead of politicizing these tragedies, let’s rally as a nation, bridging the left-right divide, to address the root causes. Whether it’s bolstering law enforcement, championing family values, or revisiting the way we approach education, action is desperately needed.
The Tampa shooting is not just a news story; it’s a cry for America to reclaim its core values.
Let us know what you think, please share your thoughts in the comments below.
CandygramForMongo
November 1, 2023 at 6:39 pm
Why is a 14 year old out at 3am? Parents are to blame as well. Poor parenting all around!
Paul Amato
November 1, 2023 at 7:00 pm
This was not “gun violence”- guns are inanimate tools- this was MENTAL ILLNESS VIOLENCE! No FATHER TO RAISE HIM VIOLENCE! Removal of all things RELIGIOUS violence! REMOVAL OF ALL CIVIC/CITIZENSHIP/LOVE OF COUNTRY from our Schools VIOLENCE!
Soon we will have OPEN BORDER VIOLENCE
If we don’t change these things for the better soon we will lose the Country we LOVE!
Ar Stein
November 2, 2023 at 5:10 pm
Agree. And killed by a Democrat. Why after a century of much less violence, is this going on? And quit victim blaming. Our public should be safe 24 hours a day. Monsters should not be justified at 2am.
Janeka
November 1, 2023 at 7:03 pm
Exactly.. why would any “parent” allow their 14 YO child to hang out on the streets at 3:00am at anytime especially on a school night.. Everyone knows nothing good happens on the streets after midnight..
David Rollins
November 1, 2023 at 7:08 pm
As Pastor John Hagee so often points out. “We have left the basis of liberty and life; Bible teaching and core values have neen discarded. Now America is paying the price”. So true.
Francisco Machado
November 1, 2023 at 7:43 pm
Individuals possessed by demons are beyond rational control. Police cannot be everywhere at all times. When the need for citizens to be armed and present when a madman starts shooting for their own (and others) safety, King Joe and the Progressives leap to the podium to disarm those who obey laws. What do they do to attenuate the violence? No bail release. Letting convicted criminals out. Ten million illegal aliens admitted. Neighborhood destroying riots not only7 tolerated but encouraged. And they push for destructive education – like CRT, an indoctrinating tool to divide children into mutually antagonistic special identity groups, to set them against one another and generate hostility.
Helen
November 1, 2023 at 7:48 pm
Why are you basically trying to blame the 14 yr. old? He’s out late on Halloween just like many, many other young people. Where’s the blame on to whom it actually belongs? ON THE SHOOTER! Why was HE out at this time with a gun? Was he authorized to carry a firearm? Where were HIS parents when he was supposedly growing up without proper supervision or teaching? So many people don’t want the Bible taught in our schools any longer or even just plain ol’ right from wrong, so this is what it has come to. Take the Lord out of our lives & the evil one comes in. Try reading the Bible sometime. It was given to us for a reason, but, now days people don’t seem to think that they need it. Obviously, they need someone or something to set them on the right path. I pray for the families of those who were killed and/or injured.
C. Durning
November 1, 2023 at 8:03 pm
HOW TRUE!! HOW TRUE!! HOW TRUE Francisco Machado.
I 2nd everything you wrote! When is the left going to WAKE UP &
SMELL THE ROSES???……..🌹
Ar Stein
November 2, 2023 at 5:19 pm
Phillips told police that one of the individuals took a fighting stance while another spit at him, according to the document. He also claimed that a third person appeared to be reaching for a weapon from his waistband, but police said Phillips told them he never actually saw a firearm.
“The defendant stated the group continued to approach him and he was in fear, so he retrieved his Glock firearm and discharged it,” the affidavit said. “The defendant stated he did not fire the gun towards a particular person, but just the entire opposing group. The defendant estimated he fired two rounds. Once he fired his gun, he ran away from the scene towards the north and stated he heard additional gunfire from behind him.”
The affidavit said the teen victim was part of the group, but the detective said while videos of the shooting showed Wilson approaching Phillips in an “agitated manner,” the teen had his arms raised away from his waist.
Phillips told police that one of the individuals took a fighting stance while another spit at him, according to the document. He also claimed that a third person appeared to be reaching for a weapon from his waistband, but police said Phillips told them he never actually saw a firearm.
“The defendant stated the group continued to approach him and he was in fear, so he retrieved his Glock firearm and discharged it,” the affidavit said. “The defendant stated he did not fire the gun towards a particular person, but just the entire opposing group. The defendant estimated he fired two rounds. Once he fired his gun, he ran away from the scene towards the north and stated he heard additional gunfire from behind him.”
The affidavit said the teen victim was part of the group, but the detective said while videos of the shooting showed Wilson approaching Phillips in an “agitated manner,” the teen had his arms raised away from his waist.
Recovered cellphone video and the defendant’s statement confirmed that the 14-year-old did not pull out his gun at any time, according to police.