According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, a Florida teenager died in a shooting on Saturday night. He had killed both of his parents and injured a deputy.
Deputies were called to a Tampa home just after midnight on Saturday, 15th June for reports of an alleged shooting.
The caller, who was later identified by deputies as Rebecca Ann Themelis (48), told them that her husband Christos Themelis (51), had been shot. Deputies reported that several additional shots were fired while on the phone to the dispatch center.
Deputies found Christos Alexander Themelis, Jr., 19, and Rebecca Themelis, outside the house.
Officials say the suspect shot his mother’s back of the skull and then started shooting at law-enforcement officers, injuring one deputy.
Sheriff Chad Chronister said, “The monster that we encountered tonight is responsible not only for injuring and killing our deputy, but also his mother and father.” “Our deputies immediately put themselves at risk to protect our community after responding to a chaotic situation. A whole neighborhood would have been at risk without our deputy’s swift and skilled response.”
Officials say that the teen barricaded inside his home, and then succumbed later to his injuries.
Chronister reported that the deputy injured was in a stable condition.
Chronister posted a message on X saying, “Please keep him in your prayers and those of all the deputies who were involved in the shooting over night.”
Investigations into the fatal shooting are ongoing.
Chronister reports that deputies called the home ten times before the fatal shooting. The majority of these calls were related to mental healthcare and violence against the parents.
Chronister also said that there was an active risk-protection order against the 19 year-old, which led deputies seize his firearms. Investigators are trying to determine how the 19-year-old obtained the gun that was used to murder his parents, as he had been deemed mentally unfit.
“We may never know the exact reason why he was so violent. Chronister stated that it doesn’t matter why someone injures or harms another person, it is never acceptable.
