Tampa Police: Teen killed in downtown Tampa shooting at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park

TAMPA — Police are investigating an early morning shooting in Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park on Sunday that left one man dead.

The Tampa Police Department received multiple 911 calls about gunshots in the popular downtown Tampa park around 12:15 a.m. on Sunday, agency spokeswoman Jamel Lanee’ said in an email.

When officers responded to the park, they discovered an 18-year-old man near the east side of the park suffering from at least one gunshot wound, Lanee’ said. They immediately began efforts to save the man’s life until Tampa Fire Rescue arrived at the scene and transported the man to Tampa General Hospital, she said. Once at the hospital, the man died from his injuries.

The shooting may have been connected to fighting in the park, Lanee’ said. About 100 people showed up to the park shortly after 9:30 p.m. and caused a disturbance. Officers dispersed the group, but detectives believe both the shooter and victim were part of the crowd.

“Whether they came back and shot each other, that’s what we are trying to determine,” Lanee’ said.

Neither Tampa Police nor Tampa Fire Rescue have yet to publicly identify the man, and homicide detectives have begun an investigation into his death, Lanee’ said.

However, investigators said the shooting does not appear to be a random act.

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