Double Shooting in Tampa: Two Victims Found Dead, Suspect Arrested
Tampa Double Shooting: Suspect Arrested After Disturbing Confrontation Captured on Video
TAMPA, FL — A tragic scene unfolded Friday afternoon on El Portal Drive as Tampa Police responded to 911 calls reporting a shooting that left two individuals dead. Officers arrived to find a man and a woman shot outside a white Chevrolet Colorado pickup truck, igniting a swift investigation into the circumstances surrounding their deaths.
The male victim was discovered lying on the ground, while the female victim was partially hanging out of the passenger side of the vehicle, still clutching her cellphone. In a chilling twist, detectives later found that she had been recording a video at the time of the incident.
As investigators reviewed the footage, they observed a confrontation between the victims and a man identified as Louis Charles Jules, who was seen wearing sunglasses, a polo shirt, and grey pants. The video captured the moment the suspect approached the couple, opening the rear passenger door of the truck. Speaking in Spanish, the victims confronted him, saying, “Hey, you can’t go into my car!”
The situation escalated rapidly when Jules threw a cup of liquid at the male victim, prompting a defensive reaction. In a shocking turn, he produced a concealed handgun and shot the victim. The video continued to record as the woman screamed and retreated into the vehicle, where several more gunshots rang out. The footage concluded with Jules standing over the woman before fleeing the scene.
Using still images from the video, detectives identified Jules as a possible neighbor of the victims, residing directly across the street from the shooting location. A bulletin was quickly disseminated to local law enforcement agencies to locate him.
Approximately eight hours after the shooting, undercover units tracked Jules to his residence, where they observed him entering the property. A subsequent search revealed his handgun and sunglasses hidden in a pickup truck belonging to another individual at the address.
In an interview with authorities, Jules claimed he had sold the white Chevrolet pickup truck to the victims and was attempting to collect payment when the confrontation occurred. He alleged that he intended to accompany them to an ATM to retrieve the money.
Jules has since been charged with two counts of first-degree murder and one count of tampering with physical evidence. He is currently being held without bond in the Hillsborough County Jail, with a pretrial detention hearing scheduled for later this week.
As the investigation continues, the Tampa community grapples with the shocking loss of life and the circumstances that led to this tragic event.