Tampa police have arrested a third teenaged suspect linked to the unprovoked attack of a soldier in South Tampa last week.
A security camera captured the beating and robbery by four young men that left the victim, an Army sergeant, with a broken nose and a knocked-out tooth. The black and white grainy video went viral and was picked up by national news media.
Sergeant Johnny Aparicio, based with Central Command at MacDill Air Force Base, was walking home after his car had broken down during the early morning on May 13th.
MacDill Commander Col. Lenny Richoux called the attack an isolated incident and credited the community for its response.
“I had to do very little. It was the community that came to us and said ‘We can’t believe that this happened to one of our military people,’” Richoux said. “They’ve come to the sheriff’s office and they’re helping them to find these people.”
He said the people of Tampa recognize how valuable the military is to the community and “have wrapped their arms around us.”
Community tips helped lead police to the arrest Friday of suspects Geroshe Lewis, 18, and Lerome Howard, 18, both of Robinson High School in South Tampa. Late Sunday, Jared Richardson, 18, of Brandon was arrested.
A fourth suspect is still at large.
