An argument behind a business in Riverview, Florida, ended with a 20-year-old man dead after gunfire broke out Thursday evening. The victim, identified as Joel Del Toro, later died at a hospital, leaving his family to deal with a sudden and painful loss.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said multiple people called 911 at approximately 6:24 p.m. on November 12, reporting a shooting at a business in the 10000 block of South U.S. Highway 301.
Deputies who rushed to the location found Del Toro behind the business with upper-body injuries. Emergency crews from Hillsborough County Fire Rescue arrived and transported him to a nearby hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.
What happened before the shooting is now a major part of the investigation. Preliminary findings indicate that an altercation took place near the business before shots were fired. However, investigators have not disclosed what caused the confrontation or how it escalated into deadly violence.
The incident has also raised questions about what happened at the business shortly before the shooting. Authorities have not publicly identified the people involved in the altercation or explained whether anyone else was injured.
Del Toro’s death has left his family mourning a young life cut short. He was just 20, and his loved ones now face the difficult task of making arrangements while trying to come to terms with what happened. His young daughter is also left without her father.
A fundraiser has reportedly been set up to help the family with unexpected expenses. For those closest to Del Toro, the loss goes far beyond the circumstances of the shooting. They have lost a son, a loved one and a father whose daughter will now grow up without him.
Detectives with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office are continuing to investigate. As of the latest available reports, no arrest has been announced, and officials have not released information identifying a suspect.
Anyone who witnessed the shooting or has information that could help detectives is encouraged to call the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office non-emergency line at 813-247-8200.
The circumstances surrounding the shooting remain unclear, but one thing is certain: a family is now grieving a loss they never expected, and a young child has been left without her father.