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Tampa Police Liken Armed Robbery To Fatal Shooting

News Channel 8 image by RUGENE MOORE

Investigators gather at the scene of a shooting at the Easy Living mobile home park on Hillsborough Avenue.

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By JOSH POLTILOVE | The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 24, 2008

Updated: 06/24/2008 11:48 am

TAMPA A shooting this morning at a Hillsborough Avenue mobile home park is similar to a deadly shooting Monday, police say.

At 6:20 a.m. today, three shirtless black men drove into Easy Living mobile home park in a newer-model, burgundy or maroon car, possibly a Toyota Corolla, police spokeswoman Andrea Davis said. The men were in their late teens or early 20s and had short haircuts, and their vehicle had factory tint and rims.

The car approached Rigoberto Contreras, 29, who was standing outside at Lot 64 of the mobile home park at 4943 E. Hillsborough Ave.

At least one of the men got out of the car, brandished a gun and demanded valuables. There was a struggle, and Contreras was robbed and shot in the upper right arm.

He was taken to St. Joseph's Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The robbers drove to the other side of the park, approached more Hispanic men and again demanded money, Davis said.

Construction worker Alvaro Lopez, 28, was one of them. He was outside preparing to go to work, he said, when the men saw three people get out of the car. One had a gun.

"I am afraid and ran inside to the house," Lopez said.

After Lopez dashed inside, someone fired at the trailer. A bullet whizzed through one wall, through a cabinet and out a window on the other side of the trailer, Lopez said.

No one was hit or injured by that robbery attempt, Lopez and police said.

Police are looking for connections between this morning's shooting and a case Monday involving a Hispanic man and four robbers riding in a similar car.

"We're investigating similarities between this case and yesterday's case," Davis said today.

On Monday, 41-year-old Gustavo Adolfo Villanueva was robbed and fatally shot about 2 a.m. after leaving a party in the 900 block of East 20th Avenue.

Investigators say four men were involved in the robbery, and authorities are looking for the driver of a maroon Toyota, possibly a 2007 Camry.

People wishing to remain anonymous and be eligible for a cash reward can call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-873-8477.

Stay with TBO.com for developments.

Reporter Josh Poltilove can be reached at jpoltilove@tampatrib.com or (813) 259-7691.

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