Tampa Serial Killer Probed: Will Odd ‘Habit’ Of Flipping Cell Phone In Video Help ID Person Of Interest?
Does Tampa have a serial killer on the loose? After three unrelated shooting deaths just days apart, the folks in Tampa, Florida, are on high alert. Police have pointed out a “person of interest” who shows up on footage taken from a surveillance camera near one of the three shootings.
According to CBS News, Tampa’s chief of police believes the person who has killed these three people has ties to the area. He urged homeowners in the area of all three shootings to turn over any video footage of suspicious activity that shows up on their home surveillance cameras. After sifting through hours of footage, this man popped up.
According to CBS News Crimesider, police showed reporters a video of a man seen walking toward the area where Benjamin Mitchell was shot and then he was seen running away from that area minutes later. At a recent press conference, Police Chief Brian Dugan said he can only think of four feasible reasons why this unidentified man is running. Dugan said,
“I have come up with four reasons why this person is running. One, they may be late for dinner. Two, they’re out exercising. Three, they heard gunshots. And number four, they just murdered Benjamin Mitchell.”
Police have spotted this man in yet another video before the murder of Mitchell and this person of interest appears to have a cell phone flipping habit. That video can be seen at the end of this article.
Tampa police release new video of "person of interest" in 3 fatal shootings that took place over 11 days https://t.co/RvFJaz138N pic.twitter.com/YpCMPyeqel
— CBS News (@CBSNews) October 26, 2017
The person of interest is seen flipping the cell phone over and over again as if it may be a habit. Police are hoping someone recognizes this person by his possible habit of flipping the phone. Dugan told reporters, “The reason I focus in on the flip [is] because that might be a habit of this person.”
The person of interest on this video was seen running from the spot where Benjamin Mitchell was shot just seconds earlier, so the timeline seems to put this person near or right on top of the shooting. Anthony Naiboa, 20, and 32-year-old Monica Hoffa along with Mitchell are the three murdered victims who had all been shot and killed within 10 days of each other in the Seminole Heights neighborhood section of Tampa.
"Is a Serial Killer on the Loose in Tampa?" https://t.co/KmWFaUKJ8Q
— Uyia (@Uyia3) October 28, 2017
Police are out in full force, stopping and talking to just about anyone they can. The mayor of Tampa told the citizens of the city to come forth with any information they have. He said to the people of his city via reporters that if anyone is withholding information, they are essentially “protecting a killer.” He also said that the “killer may take out one of your family members.” So he urged the people to “decide which side you’re on.”
According to Fox News‘ live coverage on Saturday, the neighborhood watchdog group known as the Guardian Angels are patrolling the neighborhood from sundown to sunup. There is a $35,000 reward for information leading to an arrest in this case. So far police have received more than 350 tips in this case.
[Featured Image by Realstock/Shutterstock]
