TAMPA, Fla. — During a news conference Wednesday, Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw announced yet another reward increase in the investigation regarding Yitzian Torres Garcia, the seven-year-old boy who was shot and killed on July 4 last year.
Bercaw said the Tampa Police Department will increase the reward money to $25,000 for the investigation into Yitzian's death.
"We are today calling on our community, hoping that we can get information that will lead towards an arrest and identification," Bercaw said.
Yitzian was killed almost exactly a year ago near the Courtney Campbell Causeway. He was from Puerto Rico and was visiting his grandparents for the July 4 holiday. His death happened shortly after an argument started between two groups of men over reckless driving of a Jet Ski near an area where kids were playing in the water.
That argument escalated into shots being fired between the two groups. Yitzian's grandfather, Juan Carlos Hernandez, was shot in the hand as he tried to protect the little boy from the bullets.
Despite his grandfather's efforts, Yitzian was shot in the head. He was pronounced dead a short time after being rushed to the hospital.
"Someone who knows something, maybe that they have not shared yet, we're asking you; please share what you know," Bercaw said.
Yitzian's grandmother, Marisol Ayala, spoke through tears during Wednesday's press conference, supported by other family members.
"You tried to protect babies in an argument, and you killed an innocent baby," Ayala said. "My grandson had nothing to do with this."
Ayala announced she and more relatives will hold a memorial ceremony for Yitzian "to say no more bullets in the air."
"Tomorrow's Independence Day. It's the Fourth of July," Ayala said. "Kids want to see fireworks. Well, my grandson didn't get to see his fireworks."
Ayala said the family still has Yitzian's fireworks and will light them off during the ceremony while giving out pictures of the seven-year-old that say "Justice For Yitzian."
Yitzian's grandmother says the ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. July 4 near the Courtney Campbell Causeway.
near