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Day after being shot as he slept, Tampa teen out of hospital

 
Published April 23, 2012

TAMPA — One day after a 14-year-old boy was airlifted to Tampa General Hospital with three gunshot wounds, friends say he is out and acting "like normal, like nothing ever happened."

That's according to Tommy Moreland, 47, who lives in the Sulphur Springs home where Jontavious Keion Gainous had been sleeping on a couch before daybreak Saturday when gunshots pierced a living room window and wall and hit him.

About 10 people were in the home, including an 8-month-old, a 2-year-old and a 4-year-old, at the time of the shooting.

Though Jontavious was listed in critical condition Saturday, he was no longer found in the hospital's system Sunday afternoon.

Moreland says his nephew knows Jontavious, who stayed over at the house at 8510 N 15th St. on Thursday and Friday nights.

The 14-year-old was at the house when a fight broke out Friday night over a computer and spilled onto the front lawn. A few men visiting a neighbor's house threatened Moreland's nephews, he said.

Tampa police have not said the fight is linked to the shooting, and on Sunday had not identified suspects or released new information.