Jontreeal Gainous

Jontreeal Gainous, a 22-year-old African-American man, was known and loved for his vibrant personality and the joy he brought to those around him. His life was cut short in the early morning hours of Sunday, December 3, 2017, in a drive-by shooting in Tampa, Florida. The incident left his family and friends grappling with a sudden and violent loss, and a community searching for answers that remain elusive years later.

The night of the shooting began with a verbal altercation between two groups of people in the 1200 block of East Fowler Avenue. Following the dispute, at around 3:30 a.m., Jontreeal and three companions began walking westbound along East Fowler Avenue, heading toward Nebraska Avenue. As they walked, a vehicle carrying the individuals from the earlier argument followed them. Suddenly, one or more people from inside the car opened fire on Jontreeal and his friends.

The hail of bullets struck Jontreeal, inflicting a fatal wound. He died from his injuries, his life ending on a dark city street. Another person in his group was also hit by the gunfire but survived with non-life-threatening injuries. The shooting was a burst of violence that shattered the pre-dawn quiet and set in motion a homicide investigation by the Tampa Police Department.

In the immediate aftermath, detectives worked to piece together the sequence of events and identify those responsible. Their investigation soon led them to name a person of interest. On December 14, 2017, police publicly identified Anan Motilal, then 25, stating they believed he was in the car involved in the shooting and had information about what occurred. They asked for the public's help in locating him for questioning.

However, the focus on Motilal was short-lived. Just days later, on December 19, a spokesperson for the Tampa Police Department announced that detectives had located and spoken with Anan Motilal. Following their interview, they stated that they were no longer seeking him as a person of interest in connection with the case. The investigation into Jontreeal Gainous's murder continued, but this development sent detectives back to the drawing board in their search for the shooter or shooters.

Since that time, the investigation into Jontreeal’s death has remained active but open. The initial burst of public information slowed, and the case has grown cold, with no arrests made and no suspects publicly named. For Jontreeal's family, the lack of resolution means the pain of their loss is compounded by the absence of justice. They are left with memories of a young man taken from them far too soon and the lingering question of who was responsible for his death.

The case remains in the hands of the Tampa Police Department. Detectives continue to seek new leads and information that could help them identify the individuals in the vehicle that morning and finally close the case. The shooting on East Fowler Avenue is a stark reminder of how quickly a dispute can escalate to fatal violence. As of late 2017, the investigation was ongoing, and authorities continue to urge anyone with information, no matter how insignificant it may seem, to come forward.