TAMPA, Fla. — Following a deadly weekend in the U.S., where scores were shot in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio, communities and law enforcement in the Tampa area are on edge, ramping up patrols.

  • Following El Paso, Dayton shootings, Tampa-area officials step up patrols
  • Pasco deputies stepped up patrols at shopping centers
  • Threat made to Gibsonton Wal-Mart -- deputies say it turned out not credible

The Pasco County Sheriff’s Office said they were stepping up patrol at shopping centers and churches Sunday. It’s all meant to ease people minds.

For shoppers in Pasco County Sunday, the added security is a welcome change. It’s another layer of protection against a threat that’s become far too normal.

“It’s unfortunate that we have to do that but whatever keeps us safe,” Andrea Nolan said.

Many people were getting their back-to-school shopping done, just like in El Paso on Saturday, not knowing that would end with 20 people dead and dozens more injured.

Shoppers say they’re thankful for the extra patrol, hoping it will prevent more lives from being lost.

“I feel a lot safer,” Nolan said. “I think it’s really smart to have people like that, because you never know what people are expected of I mean it happens all the time.”

Right now, it’s unclear how long these extra patrols will last. ​

Gibsonton Wal-Mart Threat

Meanwhile in Hillsborough County, deputies say a call to a Gibsonton Wal-Mart came in around 1:15 p.m, where the caller said he was going to shoot up the store in five minutes.  

Given the El Paso and Dayton massacres, store managers evacuated the store, and deputies rushed to the scene to check things out.

“Within about an hour we were able to determine that that threat was not credible. They cleared the store. There’s no kind of explosive device of any kind. They found no one hiding anywhere. The important thing right now is that there was no actual threat here at the Wal-Mart,” said Amanda Grant, a Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson.

About a thousand people were in the store at the time, and as you can imagine, making an already tense day even tenser for shoppers.

“It’s really hard to put into words. It’s like he can’t go anywhere anymore. People are just, they’re copycats that’s really what it is right now. There’s no need you know I don’t understand it,” said Monica Gonzalez, a customer.

The store is reopened, but investigators are looking to track down who made the call.