Police: 17-year-old killed over bicycle

Friday, November 13, 2009

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Tampa police say that 17-year-old Greg Allen, who was shot to death Wednesday evening, was killed over a bicycle.

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY (Bay News 9) -- Tampa police say that 17-year-old Greg Allen, who was shot to death Wednesday evening, was killed over a bicycle.

Allen died at Tampa General Hospital after being shot in his chest in the Desoto Park community Wednesday evening.

Police said a large crowd was gathered and a conflict arose over the theft of a bicycle. They say Allen left the scene and was about two blocks away when he was shot.

"For his mother to have to bury her son at this early age in life, I just don't understand how this had to happen like this," said Allen's stepfather, Eddie Pace.

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Louis Colon, who heard the gunfire from his backyard, ran to Allen's side.

"That's all he was saying to me that he was dying," Colon said. "I said you've got to calm down. You've got to stop moving. You don't know what's happening inside there. He said he was hurt and couldn't move his legs. I was just trying to console him, keep him calm."

Louis Colon tried to assist Allen after the shooting.

Allen was a senior at Middleton High School where he was the "turnaround student of the year."

School crisis counselor Jeff Smith said Thursday that more than 100 students sought help in deal with Allen's death.

"No one is saying anything negative about him," Smith said. "Friendly. No matter who you were he only had nice things to say. His loss is deeply felt by everyone here."