TAMPA, Fla. — It was supposed to be a celebration. It ended in a drive-by shooting.
One of Antonio Richardson's family members had just graduated high school in Tampa. The 21-year-old was celebrating on East North Bay Street near North 34th Street when a car passed by and changed everything.
As it drove by around 3 a.m. on May 29, a barrage of bullets came flying toward him.
Richardson and a 23-year-old man were both hit by gunfire. Both were rushed to the hospital. The 23-year-old was later released. Richardson, who spent hours on life support, died.
For months, his killer has remained unidentified and on the loose. There's been no word on a motive.
On Monday, the Tampa Police Department said Richardson's family had authorized detectives to release his identity in the hopes that somebody would come forward with a tip that might help investigators arrest the person who took his life.
While police don't have the make and model, investigators believe the killer may have been inside a light-colored, four-door sedan – likely built in the early 2000s.
"Antonio's family and Tampa Police Detectives are seeking any information that would assist in the investigation, and lead to identifying and apprehending the suspect(s) in this case to provide a sense of closure for Antonio's family," a TPD spokesperson wrote Monday in an email.
Tipsters were urged to contact law enforcement by dialing 813-231-6130 or using TIP411. To remain anonymous, anyone with information can also call Crime Stoppers of Tampa Bay at 1-800-873-TIPS or click here to submit information online. Tampa police also have a mobile app that's available in the Google Play or Apple store.