Ybor City Shootings: 14-Year-Old Boy Arrested, Charged, Reports Say

TAMPA, FL — Authorities have arrested a 14-year-old boy in connection with the Oct. 29 mass shooting in Ybor City that killed two people and injured 16 others, according to multiple reports citing police.

The teen was arrested Thursday in Palm Beach, according to a WFLA report. The teen was charged with felony counts of possessing a firearm as a minor and carrying a concealed firearm after authorities said he displayed a gun during the shooting before fleeing the scene.

Tampa police said multiple people opened fire just before 3 a.m. in the 1600 block of East Seventh Avenue of Ybor City as bars closed and scores of people in costumes spilled out on the streets. Authorities said the shooting stemmed from an argument between two groups of people.

Two victims — 14-year-old Elijah Wilson and 20-year-old Harrison Boonstoppel — died from their injuries, police said. Sixteen additional victims were injured.

Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw said the shooting was due to a feud between two groups of people who knew one another. Among those wounded, 15 suffered gunshot wounds. The victims ranged in age from 18 to 27 years old, Bercaw said.

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Tyrell Stephen Phillips, 22, was arrested and charged shortly after the shooting, police said. He was charged with second-degree murder with a firearm.

Video taken by bystanders and subsequently reviewed by police showed that Wilson was carrying a loaded gun in a holster. According to authorities, Wilson approached Phillips and other members of his group with his arms raised. As Wilson lowered his arms, Phillips fired at him, according to the affidavit.

During a recent court appearance, Phillips said he shot Wilson because he thought he was reaching for a gun and feared for his life.

Boonstoppel, a deaf resident who had a cochlear implant, was walking down the street with friends when shots broke out. He hit the ground to protect himself but was shot three times including once in the heart. He was taken to the hospital, where he died.