'We can affect one half of this equation': Tampa Mayor Jane Castor calls for stricter gun regulations following Ybor City shooting

Tampa Mayor Jane Castor is calling for stricter gun regulations following a deadly mass shooting in Ybor City early Sunday morning that resulted in two dead and at least 18 injured.

Flanked by Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw and State Attorney Susan Lopez during a Sunday press conference, the mayor expressed that the historic nightlife district of Ybor City is not to blame, and instead the focus should be on irresponsible gun ownership.

"Unfortunately this morning we're on the national news about yet another shooting in our country,  a shooting where individuals have a dispute and decided to end that dispute with firearms. Now we have lives that have been lost and other lives that have been permanently altered," said Castor, who is also a former Tampa police chief.

"We have got to say as a country that enough is enough," continued Castor.  "We can't just come back to the microphones day after day and give our sincere heartfelt condolences to the victims of firearm violence. We as a country have got to make decisions. The vast majority of Americans support responsible firearm ownership they also support reasonable regulations. We've got to have those difficult decisions. And we're going to come back to this position each and every day. And we're better than that as a country. And we're better than that as a community here in the City of Tampa."

Over the weekend, a score of critics on social media blamed the shooting on the late-night party atmosphere in Ybor City. However, during the press conference, Castor dismissed those claims.

"Ybor City is one of our historical landmarks. It's known for culture, education, great restaurants, entertainment. I don't know that the entertainment venues are an issue in that particular are," said Castor. "I know that a lot of the business owners have stepped forward to do what they can to make Ybor safer. It is just these particular incidents. If you look at the overall crime rate anywhere city, it is very, very low."

Before the Sunday's press conference, Castor has also expressed her concern over irresponsible gun ownership on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.

"Yet again, a senseless loss of life by those choosing to settle a dispute with firearms. Lives lost and others forever changed. To what end? The Tampa Police Department had 50 officers deployed in the area at the time, so this is not a law enforcement issue," wrote Castor. "Bad decisions made in a split second and the proliferation of readily available guns are responsible for these almost daily incidents. We can affect one half of this equation."

Tampa Bay Democratic congresswoman Kathy Castor also echoed the mayor's call for further gun regulations. "Tampa is a safe city, but guns are too easily available to people who shouldn’t have them," wrote Kathy Castor on X.  "Let’s work together to prevent this from happening again, build a safer community and ensure justice is done for the victims of this senseless mass shooting. To do so, Gov DeSantis, the legislature & Republican politicians must stop cowering to gun manufacturers and their lobbyists."

During Sunday's press conference, Chief Barcaw announced that TPD had arrested a suspect in the shooting – 22-year-old Tyrell Stephens Phillips, who was charged with second degree homicide with a firearm.

Bercaw also shared that both handguns from the shooting have been recovered, and one of them was stolen.

TPD says the shooting started at around 3 a.m. Sunday, when two groups had an altercation group near the 1600 block of East Seventh Avenue.

Multiple social media posts show a stampede of people running for cover as shots are heard in the background. 

The shooting resulted in  two deceased victims, a 14-year-old Black male and a 22-year-old white male, said Barcaw. The chief also shared that 18 people were injured during the shooting, and 15 of those were shot.  As of Sunday afternoon, all but five are still recovering at local hospitals.

Phillips was booked in Hillsborough County jail and is expected to make his first appearance in court on Monday.

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