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Teen dies after shooting

Another teenager loses an eye and remains in critical condition after a separate shooting.

By CARRIE WEIMAR
Published March 24, 2007

TAMPA - Gregory Wilkerson was driving home from a store about 10:45 p.m. Thursday when he got a panicked call from his wife.

Her 19-year-old son, Aaron Lindsey, had been shot in the left eye.

Wilkerson raced to St. Joseph's Hospital, where Lindsey, his stepson, was listed in critical condition. When Wilkerson returned to his east Tampa home Friday morning, he was tired, anxious and confused.

"I haven't even had a chance to think about the incident yet. I'm too worried about my son," Wilkerson said. "I don't know what happened."

Lindsey, the father of a 1-year-old boy, was one of two teens critically injured in separate shootings Thursday. Hillsborough County sheriff's spokeswoman Debbie Carter said the incidents weren't related.

The other shooting happened shortly after 10 p.m. at Ridein Road and Tidewater Trail.

Deputies arrived to find Torrie McDuffie, 16, shot in the head.

McDuffie was taken to Tampa General Hospital, where he died.

Officials said McDuffie and his friends had been hanging out on the corner earlier in the day and someone threw a cinder block at an Orange Chevrolet Nova.

The Nova and a Nissan returned to the intersection about 10 p.m. People inside the cars fired shots at the crowd, striking McDuffie and a parked car.

A short time later, a second person, Dexter Bell, 18, arrived at the hospital, complaining of a wound to the hand.

Deputies found the orange Nova parked at Bell's residence, 5811 Hammon Drive.

Friday, deputies arrested Bell and said he admitted he fired at least three shots into the group. He was charged with attempted first-degree murder and remains in Orient Road Jail with no bond.

Friday night, deputies searched for others involved.

In the other shooting, Lindsey was at home, 5619 E Chelsea St., with four friends when a silver pickup and a burgundy Chevrolet Tahoe pulled into the driveway.

The people in the vehicles turned off the lights and began firing. Two shots went through a window, striking Lindsey and Courtney Lavon Carr, 18, who was shot in the shoulder.

Wilkerson said his stepson lost his eye and doctors were working Friday to stop the bleeding.

He said Lindsey attended Jefferson High School, where he played football.

Recently, he had been buying and selling homes with his grandfather and saving money to go back to school.

"He has ambitions," Wilkerson said. "He's working toward a better life."

Wilkerson said he has no idea who is responsible for the shooting or why they targeted his stepson, who lives in a small home behind Wilkerson and his wife, Angela.

"This is a quiet place," Wilkerson said. "Why would anybody do something like this?"

Alexandra Zayas and Times researcher Carolyn Edds contributed to this report. Carrie Weimar can be reached at 813 226-3416 or cweimar@sptimes.com.

[Last modified March 24, 2007, 06:44:55]