Tampa Police are investigating a shooting Friday night in the Highland Pines community that left one teenager dead and another wounded.
According to reports, officers responded to the area of 21st Avenue and Hudson Street at 9:30 p. m. after a 9-1-1 call reported a disturbance/fight with gunshots being heard in the background.
When officers arrived, they found 18-year-old John Edward Brown, III, dead, and his best friend, Reginald Johnson, also 18, wounded.
John Brown, Jr. said he had been trying to keep his son in school, but it just didn’t work.
“We live in Town ‘N Country, and when he was living with us, he was always respectful and well behaved.
“But, he enjoyed hanging out with the wrong people on the streets, and out there, he was wide open. It was like he was living a double life.”
Mr. Brown said his son had lived in Grant Park, and out there, he more or less did what he wanted.
“But, when he came home, it was a different story, and he just didn’t want to abide by the rules. He wanted to come and go as he pleased.”
His grandmother, Georgia Brown, said her grandson was great at separating his double life.
“Whatever he did on the streets, he never brought that home. We thought by living in Town ‘N Country, the distance would make him not want to travel that far to hang out, but it didn’t help.
“When he was a student at Hillsborough High School, he was in the ROTC, but just wouldn’t stick with it.”
Mr. Brown said on Christmas break about two years ago, his son left and moved back in with his mom.
“Before that, he had been traveling back and forth since 1996, but when he turned 15, he wanted to spend all of his time in East Tampa.
“John was really into the gang life, and looked at gangs as being his real family.”
John’s stepmother, Suheill Vazquez, said he was baptized at New Hope M. B. Church, and enjoyed going to church.
“But as soon as church was over, he’d go right back into the streets, and we wouldn’t see him for a while.
“He actually maintained two residences, but spent most of his time in East Tampa.”
John, III was the oldest of 8 children, and has 6 sisters and a brother.
“I just wish he would have listened or at least talked to me about what he was doing on the streets,” said Mr. Brown.
“We knew it wasn’t good, because he kept getting into trouble.”
According to Reginald Johnson’s mother, Kimberly, her son is in a lot of pain, but even more important, he’s an emotional wreck.
“He and John were best friends, and I really hate this happened. I was told someone tried to steal their bicycles.
“Reginald hasn’t been able to sleep since this happened, and he’s very depressed. They had known each other since they were 5 or 6, and they did everything together. John would come over and stay sometimes for a couple of weeks.”
Ms. Johnson said her son hasn’t talked much about what happened, and she feels blessed to have him still with them.
Reginald is the youngest of four children.
The Brown family has contacted JGR Funeral Home to assist them with arrangements, and ask anyone who wants to help with funeral expenses, to contact the funeral home at (813) 932-5308; Mr. Brown at (813) 507-6683, or his grandmother, Ms. Georgia Brown, at (813) 416-0976.
