Southpinellas: Police say revenge motive in shooting

ST. PETERSBURG - It doesn't take much for kids to start a neighborhood feud in this city. A look. A shove. A hand sign flashed at the wrong person.

Before long, somebody swings a fist or reaches for a knife. Last week, after a brawl at the Wildwood recreation center, two teenagers decided to get a gun and drive around hunting for revenge, police said.

Police say those teenagers shot 15-year-old Deandre "Squirrel" Brown, a chunky kid who was hanging around the streets of Harbordale in the early morning of March 24.

For decades, kids from different neighborhoods have tussled. It is commonly known that Bethel Heights kids and Childs Park kids don't mix.

Like many other victims, Deandre was caught in the crossfire of a fight between others. He wasn't at Wildwood when the brawl broke out, and he probably wasn't the shooter's target. Instead, he was collateral damage.

Talisa Brown, 15, a Gibbs High student who was at Wildwood, remembers being stunned to learn that her cousin had been killed. "So many people from Harbordale were calling me and they were all like: 'How they going to kill innocent people? Why'd they kill Deandre,'" Brown said.

Moriah Love, 14, a classmate of Deandre's at John Hopkins Middle School, said kids from other neighborhoods often tussled with Deandre in school.

Just days after the shooting, police arrested two teens. Tyree Gland, 17, was the gunman and 18-year-old Raymond Adams was the driver, police said.

Both went to Wildwood on March 23. A party at the recreation center was supposed to be for 50 people, but several hundred teens showed up and hung around the parking lot.

After police broke up the gathering, some kids started fighting. No one is sure what sparked the brawling, though several teens say it involved friends of Deandre and kids from Childs Park and other neighborhoods. So the two suspected of the drive-by shooting went looking for revenge, police said.

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Comments on this article

by ray	04/23/07 11:49 AM
so sad I love you raymond

by ray	04/23/07 11:44 AM
well raymond my cuzin and if he had to do it he had to do it my prayers go out for that boy but much love cuzzo... and be safe where you at

by Denise	04/15/07 12:51 PM
Some of these teens are your neighbors a little attention and guidance goes a long way.When you see a teen in need of guidance step in.Take them to church,talk to them abot life and making good decision.But stop standing around judging and save a lif

by Denise	04/15/07 12:47 PM
How easy for all to judge.Everyone is blaming everyone.Blame it on being a young parent,blame it on the city,the mayor,non-supervison.The fact remains it happens and until we as a community stop blaming and step in it will continue.

by Linda	04/03/07 08:59 PM
GO TISHA!!!You took the words right out of my mouth. That thing w/lewis just paved the way 4 the "thugs" to do/get what ever they want, just because they're "thugs". You deserve this rep Davis. But only doin'what you were hired to do---right Baker?

by GROFF	04/03/07 07:14 PM
I KNEW HIM HE SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN THERE BUT YES LIKE SOME PEOPLE SAID BELOW THIS AS AN EXAPLE SHOULD MAKE YOU PARENTS WATCH YOUR KIDS CAUSE GOD ONLY KNOWS IF HIS PARENTS KNEW ABOUT THE KIDS HE HUNG OUT WITH THIS COULD HAPPEN TO ANY ONE.RIP SQURIL

by GROFF	04/03/07 07:14 PM
SQURIL WAS A GOOD KID I DONT THINK IT WAS A MISTAKE THO DUE TO THE FIGHT THAT WENSDAY BEFORE I THINK THATS WHAT HAPPENED YEAH SHURE THEY WERE GUNNA KILL THOSE OTHER KIDS BUT NO HE GOT IN THE WAY THEY CLAIMED TO BE HIS FRIEND AND LEFT HIM TO GET SHOT

by PAT	04/03/07 02:23 AM
this sounds like the work of that dreaded gang, that call,s themselves the MONIG TRIBE.

by Kristi	04/02/07 08:48 PM
Brilliant! Blame the city. Or the police. Or anyone but yourselves. If that makes you feel better about black kids killing black kids. Stop letting your kids roam around with no supervision. That's what kills kids. Parenting is a 24/7 job!

by Tisha	04/02/07 04:40 PM
When a City like St. Pete names a gym after a child criminal who tried to kill a cop what do you expect? This City does nothing to stop crime in the black community because too many are getting fat and rich exploiting us. Politicians includedò026

by Dan	04/02/07 04:35 PM
Thanks Mayor Baker and GO Davis for turning your backs on inner City crime in St. Petersburg. How many more will die before we get a real police force to deal with our crime problems???

by John	04/02/07 01:45 PM
With all these geniuses running around and the obvious support they're getting home, it's clear the "achievement gap" must be the schools' fault. Right? Wrong!

by jalessa	04/02/07 01:26 PM
how can these young boys go about thier lives with this kind of anger in them? who cares where you stay or what park you go to what matters is that you wake up another day making your mom glad to see your face. now a mom can hear her childs voice.

by nisha	04/02/07 12:30 PM
I dont think thats right that they shot an innocent kid i didnt know him like that but we use to go swimming when they use to live in Bent Pines but they just recently tore the appartments down but i jus wanted to show my respect R.I.P. Squirrel

by Monica	04/02/07 11:29 AM
Unfortunately, until children stop having children it's not likely to get better. These kids raise themselves. Their mothers are still trying to capture their youth in the clubs and the streets while their kids are taking or losing their own.

by THUG LIFE(JOE)	04/02/07 10:45 AM
TOO BAD THESE KIDS DONT GET TO SPEND SOME TIMEIN REAL PRISON KNOWING THAT EVERY DAY ITS THE SAME OLD BAD FOOD,CO'S,BAD COMPANY,SHAKEDOWNS AND NOTHING YOU CAN DO TO MAKE IT BETTER. AND YOU GET NO RESPECT FOR WHAT YOU DID ON THE OUTSIDE.

by Birdie	04/02/07 10:17 AM
the defendants have ruined thier lives & for sure, have ruined the life of the victim-

by Rose	04/02/07 09:26 AM
Childs Park starts below 5th ave. S. From 1st ave. S. to 5th ave S. is Central Oak Park Neighborhood. Check your facts!

by Ms.D	04/02/07 09:24 AM
Well I knew it would be a matter of time before kids start killing each other.It's sad this is the way It is. It is up to us to teach them ,this is not the way. I will talk til I am blue in the face so they will understand.This is not the way.

by christina	04/02/07 05:06 AM
who is teaching these kids this behavior.a look? then death ! how dumb and how forever death is.where are the community leaders or parents on this issue ? are lives and generations not at stake here?Who will call an end to these killings of your kids