A University of South Florida football player is in stable condition after being shot Saturday night in what Tampa police call a "road-rage incident."
Hassan Childs, 22, a senior defensive back from Kissimmee, was shot three times in the incident at Eagles Point Apartments in the 14000 block of 46th Street, just north of the USF Golf Course.
According to a Tampa police statement, Childs was shot by Jovanni Jimenez, 26, after allegedly pointing a gun at Jimenez and his wife. Jimenez, a Tampa resident, told police he shot Childs in self defense.
Officers received a call of shots fired at about 11:16 p.m. Saturday. Childs was reportedly hit three times in the upper arm and torso.
No charges have been filed against either man. Police say it's unclear what started the confrontation and are continuing their investigation.
Word of the shooting first came in a pair of emails from USF Athletics Sunday afternoon - the first, a statement from USF head football coach Charlie Strong:
“We are deeply concerned that an incident occurred overnight in which one of our players, Hassan Childs, was injured in a shooting. Thankfully, Hassan is in stable condition and being well cared for, and no one else was injured. There is an ongoing investigation of the incident and we are in the process of gathering further information. Out of respect for the integrity of the investigation, we cannot comment further at this time.”
A second email stated that the incident took place off campus and no one else was injured.
Childs has no criminal record in Florida.
According to a search of Hillsborough County Court records, Jimenez was arrested for misdemeanor domestic violence charges in 2015 but wasn't prosecuted. He pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge of obstructing or opposing an officer without violence in March 2012.
Childs, who took part in USF's spring practice Saturday afternoon, graduated from Osceola High School in 2012. He's played in 26 games over three seasons at USF, starting two games as a freshman.
Childs has posted 28 total tackles and three interceptions. He sat out the 2015 season after injuring his knee during fall camp. He was listed as back-up strong safety on the spring practice roster.
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