Teen Shot During Welcome Home From Prison Party: Cops

St. Petersburg, FL — More details in a Tuesday morning shooting that left a 16-year-old boy fighting for his life have been released.

According to the St. Petersburg Police Department, the shooting occurred around 1:18 a.m. as several dozen people gathered at a 4634 20th Ave. S. home for a party to celebrate a man’s release from prison.

“This was not a drive-by shooting as initially described,” the agency wrote in an email just before noon on Tuesday. “After speaking with witnesses, detectives learned two men, with their faces covered, approached the gathering on foot and fired shots.”

One of the bullets struck Javarious Rashard Martin, of Scranton Street, in the head, police said.

The teen was being transported in a private vehicle to a local hospital, when police stopped the vehicle at the intersection of 22nd Avenue South and 46th Street South. Paramedics began treating him there and transported Martin to Bayfront Health St. Petersburg.

Police say Martin is currently listed in “very critical condition.”

No one else as the party was injured.

Police have not released further information, including descriptions of the shooters, nor the name of the man the party was behind held in honor of. The investigation remains active.

No further information is available at this time.

Image via Shutterstock 

Sign up for the St. Pete Patch newsletter and alerts!

Be sure to follow us on Facebook, too!