An 18-year-old man has been arrested in a fatal stabbing at a neighborhood clubhouse in Wesley Chapel.
According to reports, deputies responded to a stabbing call around 3:30 p.m. Friday at the Meadow Pointe II Clubhouse in the area of 30051 County Line Road east of Bruce B. Downs Boulevard.
Deputies said 16-year-old Tuvarrion "Jay" Sirmons was stabbed during an argument with Cleave Gittens. Sirmons, a Zephyrhills High student who lived in Zephyrhills, was taken to a local hospital, where he died from his injuries.
“The suspect and victim and a few other people had an argument in front of the suspect's house, which is about two or three blocks away," Paco County Sheriff Chris Nocco said. "Right after that incident the victim and a few other kids come back to this clubhouse.
"A short time later, the suspect goes to the clubhouse, gets into another confrontation with the victim. At that time he stabs the victim.”
Sirmons was visiting family and friends at the time of the fight.
"It's heartbreaking," said Sirmon's aunt, June Dawson. "Every day Tuvarrion would come out in the morning and he would come sit out on my porch and say 'hey auntie how are you, hey auntie what are you doing today, or hey what are you cooking today auntie.'"
Nocco said deputies quickly located the suspect's house and made an arrest. Gittens is being held in the Pasco County Jail on $100,000 bond on a second-degree murder charge.
"This is an extremely unusual occurrence. It's extremely sad that a 16-year-old from our community died and this type of violence," he said. "Rest assured to our citizens that we made an arrest very quickly. We showed that it's not going to be tolerated in this county."
Nocco said Gittens' nickname is "Tip" because he frequently stole the tip jar from a nearby Chinese restaurant. Nocco said Gittens has been arrested before for possession of a firearm, drugs, burglary and has spent nine months in the Pasco jail. Now he is facing a murder charge.
Deputies are still unclear of what the two were fighting about.