After three months of an undercover operation called “Operation Last Call,” Tampa police arrested four suspects who were charged with the illegal transactions of drugs in Ybor City bars.
Brandon Brinson, Carlos Diaz, Promise Toby and Ashely Poole were all charged with various counts of delivery of a controlled substance within 1,000 feet of a church. Officers said that the suspects would deliver drugs to customers in shot glasses while working as the bartender.
Additionally, police said they were able to purchase drugs, from cocaine to Adderall, at the following locations; The Southern Night Club, White Lie Bar, Coyote Ugly Saloon and Tangra Nightclub.
“We will not tolerate individuals using businesses in our city as their playground for illegal activity,” said Police Chief Mary O’Connor in a written statement. “Ybor City is one of the most popular attractions in Tampa for both our residents and tens of thousands of visitors to our city every month. We will continue working to keep this area meant for fun as a safe place to visit.”
USF student starts petition to prevent fatal jumping attempts/accidents in all USF garages
Student Victoria Abernathy has started a online petition following last week’s death at the Beard Parking Garage on USF’s campus.
The petition focuses on putting fencing around all USF garages, which will hopefully prevent dangerous jump attempts. Yet, this is not the first fatal incident. In 2009 USF police say a woman fell off from the the upper floor of the same garage and died.
“On the day of September Sixteenth 2022, as passing by the Beard parking garage, the body of a potential USF student rested in the middle of the road by the entrance of the garage, clearly visible to students and onlookers, traumatizing those who passed by,” the petition says. “Suicide is a very serious matter that needs to be addressed in the correct ways and proper resources need to be provided for those on USF campus who need support.”
Abernathy’s goal is to save lives.
“The proper resources for safety and allocation in the parking garages at USF would definitely start the notion and to doing that for the students and safety of USF,” Abernathy said.
The petition is online at Change.org. It has more than 400 signatures. A similar petition after a 2019 suicide at the garage garnered more than 1,400.
Credits
Anchor: Gabe Glassman
Producer: Leali Shalabi
Reporters: Leali Shalabi, Eduardo Reksiedler, Diego Adesso, Mirna Abushanab
Teleprompter: Eduardo Reksiedler
Video Editor: Antonio Delucca
Cameras: Mirna Abushanab
Web Editor: Kanaan Jones
Web Managing Editor: Chrisovaladou Pantelis
Graduate Assistant: McKenzie Muskett
Faculty Adviser: Dr. Stephanie Anderson, Wayne Garcia
