Through fears of serial killer, Tampa neighborhood looks for ways to come together

After a fourth killing in a Tampa neighborhood, police are still working to catch a killer and residents are looking for ways to feel safe again.

For their safety, the Salvation Army is urging those who live on the streets in Seminole Heights to come to their shelters at night, Spectrum Bay News 9 reported. Shuttles to transport those interested in staying with the Salvation Army at their downtown location are also being offered.

Tampa police, assisted by the FBI, ATF, FLDE and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, continue to scour the streets of Seminole Heights and hours of surveillance footage provided by community members.

“Now is not the time to clam up,” Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn said, according to Bay News 9. “Now is not the time to not rat somebody out. Because that literally can be your mother next.”

Even in fear, there is hope.

Hope the killer is caught soon and hope for the community to rally together in a time of uncertainty.

10News spoke with residents who, despite a killer on the loose, were not hiding out at home. Some were playing basketball in the park others doing laundry at the laundromat near where Ronald Felton’s body was found early Tuesday morning. He was the fourth person shot to death in the neighborhood since Oct. 9.

Johnny Daniels, who is a deacon at the New Season Apostolic Ministries and runs the church’s food pantry told FOX 13 that the pantry is not usually open on Wednesdays, but they decided to open the doors to honor Felton, who was shot on his way to volunteer there.

“Ronnie was my Superman here,” Daniels told FOX 13. “It wouldn't have been right if we wouldn't have (opened Wednesday) because he would have wanted us to do it.”

In another show of community solidarity, t-shirts with “We Are Seminole Heights” and “Strong. Resilient. United.” printed on the front are being sold by the Southeast Seminole Heights Civic Association. The funds from the sales will go to the families of shooting victims, according to ABC Action News.

Shirts can be purchased online.

JT Brown of the Tampa Bay Lightning tweeted a picture of himself wearing one of the shirts.

“We have rallied together as a community, as a neighborhood,” Tampa Police Chief Brian Dugan said, according to FOX 13. “When people stick together, come outside, We're asking that people turn on their porch lights from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. and come out and stay outside.”

The Tampa Police Department Wednesday released new video of a person they are calling a suspect in two of the deaths, but all four are being treated as related.

They hope residents can identify the man seen in the clip, as they believe the video shows the same person from a video released last month, WFLA News Channel 8 reported.

“Same gait, same walk, maybe not the same jacket, definitely a hoodie,” Dugan said. “Look at how they walk. Look at how they are flipping their phone, paying attention to their phone and at some point they are able to put that away and go out and go gun someone down.”

Police believe the killer lives in the Seminole Heights area.

Dugan said the reward for information in the case was raised after Felton was shot to death on Tuesday. Since then, police have received hundreds of tips, Dugan said.

By Thursday afternoon, the reward reached $100,000.

Police are asking residents who may have seen anything or have home surveillance cameras to call them at (813) 231-6130.

Felton was the most recent of four victims. Benjamin Mitchell, 22, Monica Hoffa, 32, and Anthony Naiboa, an autistic 20-year-old, were all killed within 10 days of each other in October.

This story was originally published November 16, 2017 at 8:58 AM with the headline "Through fears of serial killer, Tampa neighborhood looks for ways to come together."