TAMPA, Fla. (CW44 News at 10) – A man in Tampa faces murder charges after shooting his neighbor. He told police it was the result of an ongoing dispute that stemmed from the now deceased neighbor allegedly shooting holes in their shared fence.
Credit: TPD | CW44 News at 10
On April 5, 2021, just before 6 p.m., the defendant, Nelson Espinal, dialed 9-1-1 and said he shot his neighbor. Espinal identified his neighbor as a white man who lived next to him at the 10,000 block of N. Central Ave near East Linebaugh Avenue. Espinal said he shot his neighbor after his neighbor shot his fence. The victim was lying in his front yard, about fifty feet from the fenced property line, when detectives arrived.
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Espinal was taken into custody, according to his statements, and then granted a post-Miranda interview to investigators. In summary, Espinal described an ongoing dispute with his neighbor in which he had already made holes in his fence. During questioning, Espinal said he entered his residence, retrieved a loaded handgun and confronted the victim about the shooting at his fence. Espinal warned the victim out of concern for her children. Espinal said the victim lifted his two middle fingers and said, “I don’t have any…”. Espinal said he “lost it” and shot the victim several times.
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Espinal said he then returned home, put the gun back in its holster, put it on a sofa, called 9-1-1 and got out to wait for police.
Espinal is charged with first degree premeditated murder and Felon in possession of a firearm.
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The shooting is still under investigation. CW44 News At 10 will provide further updates as they become available.
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