Feb. 11, 2019
Mobile Home Shooting
A Bradenton man died after a shooting early this morning. Officers responded to reports of shots fired at the Manatee Mobile Home Park. Joshua Gonzalez, 24, was found dead in his home. During the investigation, two other people were found shot.
Police are trying to determine if the victims are connected to the fatal shooting. Detectives don’t yet have a suspect. “It’s very early, a lot of early speculation,” Bradenton Police Capt. Brian Theirs told ABC Action News. “They’re still on scene, they’re still working with witnesses, the people that were there and called it in. They’re trying to determine exactly what happened.”
Officials said they believe the shooting was an isolated incident, but that they are treating the investigation like any other homicide. Officers also called on the help of the public. Anyone with information is asked to call the Bradenton Police Department at 941-932-9300.
Wanted Man Arrested
A man wanted for murder in Tampa was arrested in Atlanta on Monday. A warrant was issued for Joseph Ervin Brown, 26, in December. Brown is linked to the murder of Isaiah Lee Morrison, 24, on New Year’s Eve. He was charged with first-degree murder and felon in possession of a firearm, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. The only information that has been released is that Brown was arrested in Atlanta and is being escorted to Hillsborough County to stand trial.
School Safety
Thursday marks one year since the Marjory Stoneman Douglas shooting. Since then, local districts have increased security measures.
State lawmakers met with the Hillsborough County School Board Monday. They discussed safety changes put in place since the shooting in Parkland, Fla. The school board said it wants lawmakers to increase funding for security measures and mental health resources for students. Hillsborough County is currently $7 million short on funding.
The Manatee County School District held a news conference with city council members and the Sheriff’s Office. They discussed the changes the district has made. Manatee County was one of the first to add armed security officers to schools.
New Homes in Tampa
Affordable homes are becoming harder to build in Tampa, according to a new analysis by Metrostudy. Construction of new homes increased more than 18 percent from 2017 to 2018.
House closings were also up, but only by 2.5 percent from the previous year. The new houses being built, however, are more expensive in years past. The largest increase showed houses being built in the $350,000 to $400,000 range with an increase of about 38 percent. The next-highest price range was over $250,000, which had about a 17 percent increase from last year.
The Tampa region ended 2018 with 11,632 new home starts, but the study indicated that decreased job growth will have a negative impact on next year’s projections.
Anchor: Celine Fleites
Producer: Peyton Roux
Director: Sabrina Olivier Technical
Director: Alexa Ignacio
Graphics: Maribeth Nguyen
Audio: Garrett Byrne
Prompter: Allison Foy
Floor Manager: LeeAnn Bohannon
Camera Operator: Cyrena Berry
Graduate Assistant: Kelsey Baker
Faculty Advisor: Cathy Gugerty
