On November 26, 2012, Lonnie Bernard Henderson celebrated his 18th birthday. On December 4th he was hospitalized in critical condition after he was shot.
Tampa Police reported that Henderson was a passenger in a vehicle that stopped at the intersection of 18th Street and 25th Avenue inside Belmont Heights Estates.
Police said the driver of the vehicle stopped, and Henderson was talking to another person. As he talked with the other person, he was shot in the head. The driver then took Henderson to the 500 block of Floribraska and called 9-1-1.
Henderson was transported to St. Joseph’s Hospital, and police reported he was in critical condition.
Police have not released any suspect information, and their investigation is ongoing.
Henderson’s great-grandmother, Ms. Karrie Wells, said Lonnie was actually being kept alive with a respirator since he was first taken to the hospital.
“On Wednesday, we got together and decided to have him taken off the respirator, and have his organs donated.”
Ms. Wells said Henderson has 8 siblings, and was born in prison during his mother’s incarceration.
“He was adopted by his aunt, Delores Henderson, but lived with me.
“On his birthday, he didn’t want to celebrate. He just went out to dinner with his girlfriend, and just slept.
“Lonnie had just started attending a school to become an electrician. He loved boxing and had a promising future as a football player. Like so many of our young men these days, his attention was diverted by what was going on in the community, and he picked the wrong friends.”
Ms. Wells said the family is working on funeral arrangements.
