TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Tampa police ID victim of fatal home invasion

Staff photo by ERIC HAUSMANN

Tampa police officers responded to a report of a home invasion at 9405 N. 10th St. shortly after midnight.

ADVERTISEMENT

By CHIP OSOWSKI | News Channel 8

Published: September 23, 2009

Updated: 09/23/2009 10:55 am

Related Links

• Video: Police gather evidence

Paul William Proto

TAMPA - Investigators identified the victim of a home invasion this morning as 55-year-old Paul William Proto.

Police responded to a report of a home invasion at 9405 N. 10th St. shortly after midnight today. After the shooting, a suspect took off in the victim's car, a 1996 white Cadillac Seville, police said.

Police found the car a few blocks away and said the gunman apparently fled the area. Detectives are hopeful physical evidence left in that car will lead them to the killer, police spokeswoman Andrea Davis.

"Officers were able to recover it a couple blocks away just a short time after the crime," Davis said. "And, of course, crime scene technicians have processed that car, and right now they're evaluating physical evidence."

Officers found Proto shot twice in the upper body. Paramedics transported Proto to St. Joseph's Hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead, police Lt. David Goodman said.

Crime scene technicians were at the home until 6 a.m. today collecting evidence and taking pictures. Investigators are seeking witnesses.

Proto lived at the house with his daughter and her 3-year old son, said Taneica Jackson, who lives next door with her three children.

Jackson said Proto was home alone with his grandson when the home invasion happened, and now she is concerned for her own safety.

"It's next door." Jackson said. "And that just frightened me because I have three kids, and I'm on my own."

She said the fact Proto was shot while his was watching his grandson is especially concerning.

"And they didn't even care that [his] grandson was in there. That's crazy," Jackson said.

Stay with TBO.com for updates.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT