TBO.com - Tampa Bay Online
Suspects Sought In Shotgun Shooting
News Channel 8 photo by CHRIS COYNER
Officers investigate at the scene of the shooting.
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Published: May 11, 2008
TAMPA Police continued the search today for two men they say opened fire on a group of people at a late-night cookout Saturday.
Tyrone Johnny Speller, 28 of Tampa, was shot in the wrist and face about 11 p.m. Saturday at an apartment complex on 8725 Del Ray Court, police said. Speller was taken by helicopter to Tampa General Hospital, where he was listed in stable condition Saturday.
His condition was not available today. Emergency room staff told police Saturday that Speller's injuries do not appear to be life-threateningvbut that he would lose his right hand and right eye.
Two men armed with shotguns ran toward Speller while he and other people were having a cookout, Tampa police Sgt. Terry Goff said. Speller raised his right arm to cover his face as one of the armed men fired at him.
Speller's wrist caught much of the blast, but he was also struck in the face with shotgun pellets, according to a police report. The suspects then took off in a black car.
The motive for the shooting is unclear.
"This was just a spontaneous thing," Goff said. "These guys just popped up, shot him in the face and fled."
News Channel 8 videographer Chris Coyner contributed to this report. Reporter Ray Reyes can be reached at (813) 259-7920 or rreyes@tampatrib.com.
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Reader Comments
Posted by ( Marco ) on May 11, 2008 at 6:45 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
That area is not exactly know for its tea parties and polo matches.
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Posted by ( lostintampa ) on May 11, 2008 at 6:54 p.m.
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
Posted by ( Marco ) on May 11, 2008 at 6:57 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
lostintampa,
Not a cool comment.
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Posted by ( lostintampa ) on May 11, 2008 at 7:17 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
So people suggesting its drug related is ok?
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Posted by ( mamac ) on May 11, 2008 at 7:23 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Gotta agree with Marco. lostintampa lose the bigotry.
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Posted by ( mamac ) on May 11, 2008 at 7:24 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Lost in tampa - i love fried chicken and watermelon - so what are you saying, if we love fried chicken and watermelon maybe we are gonna get shot?
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Posted by ( tallguy007 ) on May 11, 2008 at 7:51 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
pass that bar b crack i mean q.
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Posted by ( lostintampa ) on May 11, 2008 at 8:21 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Tyrone Johnny Speller- arrest record
9/8/03
7/28/04
4/23/05
7/14/05
10/30/05
12/21/06
1/14/08
Mostly cocaine charges.
What a real winner
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Posted by ( ItsRhonda ) on May 11, 2008 at 8:31 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Just because someone has an arrest record doesn't mean they deserve to get shot.
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Posted by ( pcdebb ) on May 11, 2008 at 8:54 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
thank you ItsRhonda, you beat me to it. so what about his rap sheet? he was enjoying himself with others and now he's gonna lose his eye and hand.
I lived in that complex 5 years ago, and i had to get out of there because of the mounting problems.
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Posted by ( RichB ) on May 11, 2008 at 9:19 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
tsRhonda and pcdebb no it's more like he deserved to die! pcdebb are you so ignorant to the fact that the complex is so bad that you had to move because of people like him? Wake up! TRYONE, JOHNNY , ANTWAN, HASON or whatever name he would like to go by today would have done this earth a better service if he was pushing up daisies.
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Posted by ( what_now ) on May 11, 2008 at 9:24 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
live by sword die by the sword. get a real life and make something of it.
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Posted by ( NotPlayin ) on May 11, 2008 at 9:30 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Lostintampa get a life! From TBO to HCSO website looking up folks arrest records.....seems like you have to much time on your hand. Maybe you should consider spending it more wisely.
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Posted by ( Me1960 ) on May 11, 2008 at 9:51 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
seems to me like this fellow has been in trouble before. maybe his past issues are catching up with him. here is something new - stay away from trouble. funny how nobody shoots at me when i have a BBQ in my backyard
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Posted by ( reptaddict ) on May 11, 2008 at 10:04 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
motive unclear . . . a wild guess . . . could it be . . . DRUGS?
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Posted by ( ratracer ) on May 12, 2008 at 12:04 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Another cookout gone wrong.When does it end.
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Posted by ( mfayne ) on May 12, 2008 at 12:25 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
How sad to read some of these comments!!!! I'm sorry to hear someone was hurt and their friends and family had to deal with such a tragedy on Mother's Day. Whatever happend, it should have been taken care of (LIKE MEN) by just fighting. What happend to that? It takes a cowared to pull a gun out and shoot someone. I bet if they were face to face with the guy without a gun nothing would have been said. Why involve the other people by ruining their good time and shooting up their party. Anyone could have been hurt. what a cowardly act.
I have an arrest record and I'm not a bad person. As a matter of fact, I believe it's made me a stronger person. Some people never learn or it may take more than one time of being arrested to learn their lesson but, we don't know anything about this person based on an arrest record. WAS HE CONVICTED? DID YOU CHECK THAT? PROBABLY NOT!!!
This goes to RichB and Me1960. He did his crime paid his time and the person who shot him apparently never got caught. Ya'll both have a twisted way of thinking. This guy was injured in a gun shooting and you wish him dead and say because he has a previous arrest record it's related to one of these crimes... So what if it is! ITS STILL NOT RIGHT!!! Maybe he learned by his previous mistakes and the guy who shot him just hates life and wants to bring him down to his level.... SAD SAD SAD.... Think outside the box sometimes and maybe you'll have more of an open mind. Just for the record, I don't know anyone related to this accident. It just really bothers me to read the ignorant comments listed about an unfortunate accident. God help you....
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Posted by ( GF ) on May 12, 2008 at 8:38 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
mfayne, "unfortunate accident"?????? That IS "thinking outside the box", for sure.
What color is your world? Try dealing with facts. A drug dealer got shot, the moron who shot him didn't do a very good job and will be dead soon. Another day in the life..........
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Posted by ( Me1960 ) on May 12, 2008 at 9:54 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
mfayne - first off you ignorant ex-con, i did not wish him death!! i said it appears his past may be catching up with him. second, like i said nobody shoots up my BBQ's, and that is because i don't do stupid things to get myself arrested 7 or 8 times. i know right from wrong, i don't take what is not mine, and i actually work and pay taxes, maybe if everone took advantage of the up to 12th grade free education, they might strive to do more beyond rather that look for the easy way out.
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Posted by ( RichB ) on May 12, 2008 at 10:02 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
mfayne yours is a typical low life response due to the fact that one day this may be you! What was your arrest for? Is it something your proud of? Your thinking outside the box,not!..... your thinking from within the box; most probably the cell you once occupied. This guy is obviously never going to change his ways and is a danger to society as long as he is on this earth. The next time people come to settle a score with him do you hope they miss and strike an innocent child or parent? Get your head out of you backside and join the rest of us in reality.
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Posted by ( Jen1897 ) on May 12, 2008 at 10:53 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
I just looked at his arrest record that some of you are talking about. LMAO!!! This guy is a joke! How do you get arrested for the same thing over and over again?! What are you even doing to get caught that much? I don't feel sorry for this idiot at all.
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