BY IRIS B. HOLTON
Sentinel City Editor
On Monday, April 22nd, jurors were seated to hear the murder trial of a 22-year-old Tyrell Bragg, who was accused of killing a bystander while shooting at a party. The jury convicted him on the charge on Wednesday afternoon.
Bragg was arrested in July 2011 in connection with the death of Ms. Iesha Washington, 18.
Craig A. Thompson, Jr., 22, was also fatally wounded in the July 30th shooting spree, but no one has been arrested in connection with his death.
Ms. Vanetta Scott, mother of Ms. Washington said about 13 members of her family attended the 3-day trial.
“The prosecutor offered him a 25-year plea bargain, but he turned it down. I really didn’t want my kids to have to testify, but they were awesome. I was so proud of them.
“The worse part of the trial was waiting for the jury to come back with a verdict. But, they came back in less than an hour with the unanimous guilty verdict,” Ms. Scott said.
A sentencing date for Bragg has not been set.
The shooting took place at the International Chemical Workers Union Council, Local 439, Clubhouse, 5127 Highway 41, South, in Riverview. Hillsborough County Sheriff’s detectives arrested Tyrell Sidney Bragg the day after the shooting and charged him with the second-degree murder of Ms. Washington and being a felon in possession of a handgun.
Deputies received the call that shots had been fired at the location and responded to the scene. As the deputies began their investigation, they learned that Ms. Washington, and Thompson had both been fatally injured. Ms. Washington died at the scene. Thompson died at Tampa General Hospital.
Police said when deputies arrived there were more than 1oo people at the scene. Witnesses told police that there were 400 to 500 people at the party at some point.
According to the arrest affidavit, Bragg allegedly attended the party at the clubhouse. At approximately 12:36 a.m., Saturday, Security ordered Bragg to leave after an altercation took place. Once outside, Bragg is accused of firing several shots into the crowd. One of the bullets struck Ms. Washington.
Bragg admitted that he attended the party, but denied shooting into the crowd.
Ms. Washington was a member of the Spoto High School Softball Team. She would have begun her senior year in the fall of 2011.
