Teen boy fatally shot at Tampa McDonald’s, police say

TAMPA — A 16-year-old boy was fatally shot Tuesday during an exchange of gunfire at a Tampa McDonald’s, police said.

The shooting happened about 8:30 p.m. in the parking lot of the McDonald’s at 4009 N Armenia Ave., according to details provided by Tampa police Chief Mary O’Connor during a news conference Wednesday and a subsequent department news release.

When officers arrived they found a 16-year-old boy lying on the ground with a gunshot wound to his upper body. A 9mm handgun and several shell casings were on the ground next to him, according to police.

The boy died at the scene. Police have not released his name. O’Connor said the teen was a suspect in an armed robbery that the agency is investigating.

Witnesses told police the teen was with a group of other kids walking through the parking lot when gunshots rang out and a vehicle left the area. Investigators believe the teen who was killed exchanged gunfire with a shooter or shooters in the vehicle. None of the witnesses got a look at any suspects in the vehicle, according to police.

The other people with the teen ran away, police said.

O’Connor said police don’t know the motive behind the shooting and detectives were working to identify suspects.

“At the end of the day, we can’t have this violent crime going on at 8:30 at night on a weeknight at a busy intersection where there’s people going to a fast food restaurant,” O’Connor said.

Police asked anyone with information on the shooting to call police at 813-231-6130 or share information through Tip411, which can be found on the Tampa PD mobile app. Tips can also be provided anonymously through Crime Stoppers by calling 1-800-873-8477 or at crimestopperstb.com.

The details of the shooting came after O’Connor provided an update on an unrelated shooting in the Sun Bay South neighborhood that critically injured a 17-year-old girl on Friday and led to the arrest of a 16-year-old boy who police say fired at her.

“I think if we as a community do better in regards to checking after our children, I think that we can get a handle on violent crime,” O’Connor said.

This is a developing story. Stay with tampabay.com for updates.