On April 17, 2024, 14-year-old Jevario Buie was fatally shot in Tampa, Florida. The incident occurred just after 3:30 pm near the 1400 block of W. Busch Blvd, where officers found Jevario near the railroad tracks between Busch Blvd. and Rome Ave. He died from his injuries at the scene.
Tampa Police Detectives are actively seeking the community's help in identifying those responsible for Jevario's death.
According to Chief Lee Bercaw, the police are working tirelessly to bring the perpetrators to justice and have urged the community to come forward with any information, no matter how small, that could aid in the investigation.
Surveillance video has been released showing two persons of interest, presumably young men, walking alongside Jevario on W. Busch Boulevard shortly before the shooting. The police are hoping someone can identify these individuals to help advance the investigation.
Jevario's family has provided details that suggest he may have been lured to the location by someone he trusted. His grandfather, Michael Baldwin, stated that Jevario went near the train tracks thinking he was going to stand up to a bully but was instead ambushed and killed by a group. The family believes that one of the individuals involved may have been someone Jevario saw as a friend.
As of the latest updates, no arrests have been made in connection with Jevario's death. To encourage tips, the reward for information leading to the arrest of the person or people responsible has been increased to $20,000, thanks in part to a donation from Thaddeus Bullard, aka WWE superstar Titus O'Neil, and other community partners.
The community and local authorities are appealing for anyone with information to come forward. Tips can be provided anonymously through Crime Stoppers of Tampa Bay at 1-800-873-TIPS (8477), online at www.crimestopperstb.com, or via the Florida Crime Stoppers Mobile application. The family and authorities are seeking closure and justice for Jevario, who is remembered as a budding football player and jokester.
