7-year-old boy shot to death in Florida in fight over jet ski on the Fourth of July

A 7-year-old boy was shot to death as gunfire erupted during a fight over a jet ski on the Fourth of July, according to Florida police.

Officers responded to the Courtney Campbell Causeway, which crosses Old Tampa Bay, at around 8:30 p.m. and found the boy with a gunshot wound to his head, according to a news release from the Tampa Police Department.

The boy’s grandfather, who had been trying to shield his grandson from the gunfire, was shot in the hand, the release says.

The shooting began about 100 yards from a boat ramp after two groups began arguing over a jet ski that was being driven too close to the shore where kids were playing in the water, Tampa Police Deputy Chief Calvin Johnson said during a news conference.

The grandfather grabbed his grandson and pulled him into a truck, Johnson said. A bullet went into the vehicle and struck the grandfather’s finger and hit the child in the head, Johnson said.

The boy was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead, according to police.

“There was no reason, no excuse that an argument could lead to gunfire, much less for an argument over jet skis,” Johnson said. “Now we’ve got citizens, we’ve got families, we’ve got folks in our communities who have to deal with with this tragic incident that occurred on the Fourth of July.”

Police are still searching for suspects.

Johnson called the shooting “senseless” and encouraged anyone with information about the incident to come forward.

“There’s a better way to deal with anything you may be going through other than going to that firearm,” he said. “Once somebody’s gone, they’re not coming back, and their families, friends and loved ones have to deal with that loss the rest of their lives.”

Anyone with information is asked to call the Tampa Police Department at 813-231-6130 or submit an anonymous tip through Crimestoppers at 800-873-TIPS (8477), according to the police department.

Police did not identify the 7-year-old victim.

Johnson said the boy was not an intended target of the shooting but an innocent bystander hit by a stray bullet.

“We have a society that at times, they don’t know the impact of gun violence affects generations,” he said. “You may shoot somebody’s father, somebody’s 7-year-old, that’s going to affect that family and friends the rest of their lives, and we need to do better as people.”