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Shooting At Crossroads Puts Wounded Teen In Hospital

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By CHRIS ECHEGARAY, The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 29, 2007

PLANT CITY - An 18-year-old man was recovering Wednesday from a gunshot wound after a shooting at Branchwood and Joe King roads, north of State Road 60 in the Bealsville area, officials said.
Deputies were looking for up to five suspects.

The victim, whose name was not released, was shot at 1:12 p.m. Wednesday while in his car with two passengers, Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office said. He was in stable condition at Lakeland Regional Medical Center, officials said.

He was driving a Dodge Charger when he pulled into a vacant area at 503 Joe King Road.

The suspects were in a white Pontiac or Chevrolet with tinted windows already parked in the vacant area, deputies said. The suspects got out and started firing at the Charger, deputies said. The victim and his passengers drove off, crossed a lawn and crashed into a wooded area.

One of the passengers, also an 18-year-old man, pulled the victim from the driver's seat and helped him into the back seat. The passenger then backed the car out of the woods and onto the roadway and called for help.

The other passenger ran from the scene before deputies arrived.

A small amount of marijuana, one firearm and more than $1,000 was recovered from the victim's car, officials said.

Samatha Smith, who was in her home nearby, said she heard at least 12 gunshots, saw one car drive into bushes and the other car speed away. She called deputies and allowed one of the passengers in the victim's car to use her cell phone.

"We didn't know what was going on," Smith said. "It just happened so fast. We were scared."

Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office at (813) 247-8200 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-873-8477.

Reporter Chris Echegaray can be reached at (813) 259-7920 or cechegaray@tampatrib.com.

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