Tampa Police are looking for a suspect in the shooting of a Tampa man early Thursday morning.

According to a report, Derrick B. Grady, Jr., 24, and another man were involved in a verbal confrontation at 9410 North 13th Street. During the dispute, Grady was shot by the suspect.

Grady was transported to a local hospital where he was later pronounced dead. Detectives interviewed possible witnesses at the scene and the investigation is ongoing.

Grady’s grandmother, Ms. Dorothy Grady, said Derrick had celebrated his 24th birthday on the 19th, and talked about just having a good time with his friends.

“Derrick was a young man who wasn’t afraid of work, and performed a lot of different tasks. He also talked a lot about going into business with his dad, Derrick, Sr., who owns a trucking company.

“Above all, Derrick talked a lot about how badly he wanted children.”

Derrick, Sr. said you can give your kids the world, but what they really need is time.

Ms. Grady said Derrick enjoyed reading his Bible, and graduated from Gary Adult School. “It is a mystery to us as to why he was in that part of town,” said Ms. Grady.

“Derrick never went to the Sulphur Springs area, and he left my house with a girl he had been having problems with. That was the last time we saw him, and we are at a lost as to what really happened.”

Although Derrick lived with his grandmother, he spent a lot of time with his mother, Tracy Bristol, who had dropped him off at his grandmother’s house earlier Wednesday night.

Derrick’s uncle said he had just gotten a new tattoo that read, “Only God Can Judge Me.”

Grady has 8 siblings, and no funeral arrangements have been finalized at this time.