"When you shoot and kill an innocent person, your age does not matter," the state attorney said on charging the teen as an adult.
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14-year-old charged with murder in connection to deadly Ybor City shooting
"When you shoot and kill an innocent person, your age does not matter," the state attorney said on charging the teen as an adult.
Author: Andrea Chu
Published: 7:42 PM EST December 6, 2023
Updated: 11:57 PM EST December 6, 2023
TAMPA, Fla. — A 14-year-old boy has been charged with murder in connection to the
deadly Ybor City shooting that happened on Oct. 29, the Tampa Police Department announced on Wednesday.
Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw said Kayden Abney shot and killed 20-year-old Harrison Boonstoppel. The teen is facing charges of second-degree murder with a firearm, attempted aggravated battery and attempted murder.
State Attorney Suzy Lopez explained that although Abney is "no stranger to the juvenile justice system," he will be charged as an adult.
“He will no longer be treated as a juvenile. When you shoot and kill an innocent person, your age does not matter," she said during the news conference.
Abney was
first arrested on Nov. 16 for lesser charges in connection to the shooting — minor in possession of a firearm while wearing a mask and carrying a concealed firearm. The additional charges were added while the teen was in custody.
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Harrison Boonstoppel's mother joined the police department for the announcement on Wednesday. She said that while she's glad to see justice for her son's murder, there needs to be change in the community to stop the violence.
“He was shot with one bullet that went through his leg. The bullet that killed my son went through all his organs, up into his heart and put a big hole in his heart," she said. "And the bullet was intact."
Chief Bercaw said the bullet and shell casings were used to connect Abney to Boonstoppel's death.
“He’s just such a beautiful kid and I have been the mother of mothers watching over him my whole life," Boonstoppel's mother said about her son. "This is just senseless and we have to do something as a community to make it better for everybody, and I plan on doing that."
Two arrests have now been made to account for the two people who were killed in the shooting.
Tyrell Phillips, 22, was arrested just hours after the shooting in connection to the death of a 14-year-old. However, Bercaw says
authorities are still searching for additional shooters.
"We're looking for additional shooters in this case. That number depends on other witnesses and what they have to say," the police chief said.
Anyone with information that could help police is based to send their tip via the FBI portal
here. To remain anonymous and be eligible for a reward of up to $5,000, call Crime Stoppers of Tampa Bay at 800-873-8477.
