TAMPA, Fla. — A man was arrested by Tampa police in relation to a shooting on Friday that left two people dead.
Whitney Newsome, 37, was arrested Saturday after he allegedly shot and killed two people.
Police responded to a notification and report of a shooting at 10:30 a.m. on Friday in the area of Nebraska and 26th Avenues, according to the Tampa Police Department.
When officers arrived, they found two victims: an adult white female in her mid-20s and an adult Black male in his early 40s who both had gunshot wounds. Both of the victims died from their injuries. An adult Black woman in her early 40s was also shot at.
Newsome got into an argument before the shooting with the white woman who died. The man tried to intervene, and the Black woman was in the area as the argument escalated.
Newsome pulled out a handgun and shot the white woman and she collapsed in front of a convenience store. The other two victims tried to run for safety, but the man was shot. Newsome then ran off, according to police.
Officers found the handgun on the route that Newsome took off. They were able to identify and locate him throughout the night and took him into custody early Saturday morning.
"I am incredibly proud of the dedication and efficiency demonstrated by our
detectives and officers throughout this investigation," said Chief Lee Bercaw in a statement.
"Their tireless work, combined with the tips and assistance provided by the
community, allowed us to quickly remove a dangerous felon from the streets and
bring a sense of closure to the families of the victims."
He is being charged with two counts of Murder, Aggravated Assault with a Deadly
Weapon, and Felon in Possession of a Firearm.