In the recent Ybor City deadly shooting case, Tyrell Phillips, a 22-year-old suspect, has officially entered a plea of not guilty to a second-degree murder charge. Phillips chose to waive his arraignment, submitting his plea through a legal document filed in the 13th Judicial Circuit last Thursday.
This legal action stems from an incident involving Phillips and two other suspected shooters, which resulted in the tragic deaths of two individuals and left 16 others injured. According to an arrest affidavit, Phillips stands accused of the killing of a 14-year-old during a confrontation with a group of individuals. In his defense, Phillips claimed he fired his weapon out of fear, believing that a member of the group was reaching for a concealed weapon, although he could not confirm having seen one. Regrettably, his indiscriminate gunfire tragically claimed the life of the 14-year-old victim, identified as Elijah Wilson by his family.
Police are actively seeking two other individuals involved in the shooting and have collaborated with the FBI to establish a website to gather information about the remaining suspects.
