By Tamas Mondovics
A major manhunt, which began late last night, Sept. 5, by Tampa Police and Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office detectives has ended this afternoon.
Charlie Christopher Bates, 24, who has been connected to a series of random acts of violence including sexual battery and home invasion robberies in the USF Tampa campus vicinity, was captured on U.S. 301 just north of Interstate 4, after being shot at least once. He died this afternoon at 1:21 p.m. at Tampa General Hospital.
During the search for him, Bates was spotted by law enforcement in his car, which led to a shootout with deputies. Bates was hit and died of his injuries.
David Gee of the HCSO told reporters that Bates was not allowed to go any further on his crime spree.
Numerous HCSO deputies, TPD officers, K9’s and aviation took part in the search for Bates, none being injured.
According to the TPD and HCSO, Bates was identified as the suspect through DNA evidence.
Detectives said during a series of incidents the suspect bound four male occupants with duct tape and sexually battered four adult females at the Cambridge Woods Apartments in Tampa. He is also said to have sexually assaulted two other females at the same complex.
Bates then allegedly committed a home invasion of a nearby apartment in Eagle’s Point where he entered the apartment and then fled the scene.
He then continued his rampage by entering an apartment at the Oaks Apartments, across from Cambridge Woods Apartments, where 25 people were attending a party. HCSO reported that the suspect forced them all into a bedroom at gunpoint.
HCSO said that throughout his assaults, Bates had fired several rounds, but no injuries were reported.
Throughout the ordeal, 18 schools in the North Tampa and New Tampa areas were on modified lockdown.
HCSO and the TPD wanted to thank residents for their cooperation.
