HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FL. – On Wednesday. Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister announced a newly formed team at the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office to address the growing concern of gun violence.
An increase in gun-related violence, both locally and nationally, has led Sheriff Chad Chronister to launch a specialized team at the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office that will focus on reducing street violence and non-fatal shootings.
“The number of non-fatal shootings has also risen in Hillsborough County over the last year with an increase from 44 cases in 2019. The 72 cases in 2020 and for this year, as of July 1st there, have already been 34,” said Chronister.
To date, 2021 National Crime data shows that the overall number of shootings that have killed or injured at least one individual. exceeds the first six months of 2020, which finished as the deadliest year for gun violence in the past.
The GRIT Squad, Gunfire Response Investigations Team, will focus exclusively on investigating identifying, and apprehending individuals involved in street-level non-fatal shootings.
“While our homicide section will continue leading efforts related to fatal shootings. The grit squad will focus exclusively on investigating identifying and apprehending individuals involved in street-level non-fatal shootings,” said Chronister.
“In one case, where a victim was shot after an argument with an unknown person at a gas station, our GRIT squad only needed four hours to identify the shooter and get an arrest warrant,” explained Sheriff Chronister.
During the shooting incident, which occurred at approximately 3:05 a.m. on July 1, deputies responded to a Mobil gas station located at 13164 N Florida Avenue. Two adult victims, a male, and a female, were located with gunshot wounds. Both survived their injuries, and surveillance video was obtained, helping detectives to identify the suspect.
In another case on June 28, two individuals purchasing drugs at a home on the 7000 block of Tidewater Trail became involved in a verbal dispute, leading the suspect, Carlos Diaz, 39, to shoot the victim multiple times from his vehicle as he was leaving.
The victim was struck in the neck and the back, but he survived his injuries. Within 24 hours, Diaz was identified, an arrest warrant was issued, and Diaz was later taken into custody.
Chronister added, “I believe this new centralized and proactive approach will curb gun violence and save lives reducing gun violence. This is a responsibility that we all share and members of our community can be involved in the solution.”
Residents struggling with mental health issues who believe that violence is the only refuge are urged to seek help through one of many local resources, including calling the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay at 211.
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