x
Breaking News
More () »

'I thank God': 79-year-old Tampa woman survives shooting after bullets hit her home

Tampa police say they're lucky no one was injured after dozens of shots were fired in the V. M. Ybor neighborhood.

TAMPA, Fla. — Gunshots sent neighbors running and amplified calls for safety in a neighborhood close to Ybor City.

It happened late Monday afternoon in what neighbors call the Ybor Heights area. Tampa police say they were called to North 17th Street near East 19th Avenue for a possible teenager shot. 

"I just heard bam, bam, bam, bam, bam! Next thing I know the police are here, you see them there," Danny Szydloski said. 

10 Tampa Bay was the only news crew on the scene immediately after the shooting happened. Despite dozens of bullets being fired, police say no one with injuries was found.

"It definitely breaks my heart," Dwayne Cardenas said. 

He's the Executive Director of the Dream Center down the road, concerned for the kids they work to protect in the area. He and his staff walked down the street to see what happened. 

"It's definitely concerning to us to see that happening at such a young age, that somebody's life is being threatened to this magnitude," Cardenas said. 

RELATED: Tampa leaders table discussion on citywide children's curfew

RELATED: 36 people killed, 127 hurt: Florida reports 28 mass shootings in 2023

Over 30 evidence markers were left as police investigated North 17th, but those bullets didn't stop there. Police found two bullet holes on the side of a home two blocks down. The woman who lives there was inside at the time of the shooting. 

"It sounded like pam pam pam! When they was shooting so much, I knew it was hitting my house. That's when I got on the floor cause you know I didn't want to be a statistic," Dorothy Hayes said. 

The 79-year-old is lucky the bullets didn't go through her wall. After 49 years of living there, she says crime and shootings keep getting worse.

"I thank God no one was injured. I guess everybody running around trying to kill each other. I've seen it all and some. It's sad and it don't look like it's getting any better," Hayes said. 

She and her neighbors know something has to be done to stop the violence.

"My thing is, I feel we need more police security. I feel we need more. I know they can't be everywhere, but I feel we need more," Hayes said. 

The calls for safety aren't new. We spoke to the captain on scene who says they have stepped up patrols recently to try and curb the number of shootings like this. They continue to be active in the community.

Before You Leave, Check This Out