On August 8, 2024, 11-year-old Veondre Hargrove was fatally shot inside a home in the 4200 block of 11th Avenue South in St. Petersburg, Florida. He had been visiting a friend with other boys when an argument between Hargrove and a 14-year-old boy, identified as Gavin Lorenzo Santos-Brown, escalated and resulted in the shooting. Police arrived about 9:42 p.m. and found Hargrove dead from a gunshot wound.

Santos-Brown fled the scene on foot and is being sought by the St. Petersburg Police Department; no arrests have been announced. The community has reacted with sorrow and calls for better gun security and attention to how young teens are obtaining firearms. Counselors will be made available at Hargrove’s school for students and staff.

If anyone has information about Santos-Brown’s whereabouts or the shooting, please contact the St. Petersburg Police Department.