4-Year-Old Girl Injured in Road Rage Shooting in Tampa, Florida

TAMPA, Fla. — A horrifying incident occurred in west-central Florida on Tuesday when a 4-year-old girl was wounded in a shooting believed to be related to road rage. The local police have successfully apprehended a suspect in connection with the incident.

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Arrest Made in Connection with the Shooting

According to a news release from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, James David Jackson, a 34-year-old resident of Tampa, was arrested late Tuesday. Jackson is facing multiple charges, including attempted murder, great bodily harm (firearm), aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated battery, discharge of a firearm from a vehicle, felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony.

In addition to these charges, Jackson also faces charges of tampering with physical evidence, fleeing to elude, resisting an officer without violence, possession of cannabis, possession of cannabis with intent to sell/deliver, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

The Shooting Incident

The Tampa Police Department responded to a shooting incident at approximately 6:13 p.m. EST on Tuesday. The incident took place in the 3000 block of North 50th Street in Tampa, as reported by WTVT.

According to the police, the suspect, James David Jackson, was driving a white Kia Optima when he allegedly became angry with the female driver of a white Chevrolet sedan. At a red traffic light, Jackson pulled up next to the sedan and fired several shots from his open passenger window towards the other vehicle. The Chevrolet sedan was occupied by a female driver in her early 30s, an adult male passenger in his 20s, and two children in the rear passenger seats, as stated in the news release.

Tragically, one of the bullets struck the 4-year-old girl, who was identified as the daughter of the driver. Fortunately, the other child, an 8-year-old girl, escaped injury.

Condition of the Injured Child

The wounded 4-year-old girl was immediately transported to a nearby hospital. Currently, she is listed in stable condition, and her injuries are not considered life-threatening, according to WTVT.

Arrest and Recovery of Evidence

Thanks to the swift response and coordinated efforts of the Tampa Police Department, they were able to track Jackson’s vehicle using their helicopter. The suspect was arrested a short distance away from the crime scene. During the arrest, the police recovered a firearm that had been discarded by Jackson from the Optima, as reported by the Tampa Bay Times.

Possible Road Rage Incident

The motive behind the shooting remains unclear. However, the police believe that the gunfire was a result of a road rage incident that unfolded in close proximity, as per WTVT.

Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw expressed his concern for the injured child and stated, “Our thoughts are with the little girl who was injured in this senseless act, and our victim’s advocate will be working closely with the family to ensure they are connected to any resources they may need. Thanks to the swift efforts taken by all the responding and investigating officers, the suspect was quickly taken off the street before he could harm another member of our community.”

Suspect’s Criminal History

According to the Tampa Bay Times, James David Jackson has previously served at least two terms in a Florida state prison for charges including attempted first-degree murder, armed robbery, illegal possession of a firearm, and aggravated battery. He was released in 2019 after serving approximately a year for the aggravated battery charge.

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