TAMPA, Fla. — A man was sentenced to 60 years in Florida State Prison after being convicted of shooting and killing a man doing hurricane cleanup work in Tampa.
The Hillsborough County State Attorney’s Office said Derrick Smith was captured on video shooting the victim while performing cleanup work at 1000 Century Park Drive after Hurricane Milton in November 2024.
Smith fled the area. Two co-workers heard the gunshots and helped render aid to the victim, the State Attorney said.
Smith originally claimed self-defense, but the Tampa Police Department said witness statements and evidence collected at the scene contradicted his statement. He was arrested on murder charges and convicted of second-degree murder.
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