By Tamas Mondovics
Hillsborough County Sheriff’s detectives are asking for the public’s assistance in identifying a pair of suspects involved in two separate shootings into occupied Brandon and Valrico area homes.
The Sheriff’s Office reported that on Friday, March 24, 2017 at approximately 3:30 in the morning, two suspects wearing hoodies with their faces covered knocked on the door of 1107 Mallory Point Dr., in Valrico claiming they were the police.
The victim said that she observed the suspects and told them that she was calling the police.
Walking away from the front door, the suspects fired multiple gunshots at the house with one round passing through the front window, the Sheriff’s Office said, adding that both suspects then fled the scene in a dark colored smaller four door unknown make vehicle.
While, no one inside the residence was injured, detectives said that just minutes later at approximately 3:36 am, a similar incident occurred only a couple blocks away at 1329 Big Pine Dr. in Valrico. No one was injured at that residence.
“The two incidents are related and are not random acts,” said HCSO Public Information Officer Larry McKinnon. “The homes were targeted and detectives are following leads to find the suspects.
It is worthy of note that so far this year the Sheriff’s Office has reported a multiple gun related incidents occurring throughout the greater Brandon area, posting alerts about shootings and seeking suspects of from Valrico, Seffner, Plant City , Brandon, Riverview and Tampa.
Investigations continue in a number of these cases.
McKinnon did zero in on the fact that, while the shootings are not direct results of recent burglaries of businesses and vehicles during which guns were stolen, it draws attention to the need for guns to be protected and or not left in cars.
“The most sought after items in vehicle burglaries are guns,” McKinnon said. “There is always a market for them with a good price. So we want to urge everyone to be more vigilant and responsible gun owners.”
Anyone with any information reference these suspects is asked to call the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office at 247-8200 or anyone with any information regarding the identity and whereabouts of these suspects and who wants to be eligible for a cash reward is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-873-TIPS (8477), report anonymously online at www.crimestopperstb.com or send a mobile tip using our P3 Tips Mobile application, which is a free download for iPhones, iPads and Droids. You must call Crime Stoppers first to be eligible for a reward.
