Suspects Arrested After Ambushing Florida Couple Following $3,000 Casino Jackpot Win in Tampa
A man and his wife in Florida were attacked and threatened by armed thugs outside their Riverview home after the duo was trailed from the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tampa.
The newly-rewarded couple was celebrating their luck after they hit the $3,000 jackpot only to be attacked by two men with a demand for money and leaving both of them with gunshot wounds.
The terrifying footage was recorded in the couple’s doorbell camera which shows the moments the masked intruders opened fire on Val Delacruz and his girlfriend, Kim Chambliss. After Delacruz was shot in both legs he could be seen pleading with the gunmen as they stood over him in the video.
The attackers were heard asking for “Money” before one of the attackers, shielded the camera.
Chambliss, who was shot in the calf, said that the evening began in a rare date night for the couple. So after having dinner and drinks, they thought of going out to the casino, to spend their night. Delacruz hit a jackpot, and the couple cashed out and headed home, unaware that they were being followed.
They did not know that Marcus Jenkins and Tristin Wright who are the main suspects were watching them at the casino and were following them for several hours. While the shootings were taking place, a neighbour came out due to the noise, and the suspects fled.
Delacruz, now unable to walk and in severe pain, faces a long road to recovery. The doctors informed him that he may take up to six months to become mobile again. Chambliss, who appeared shaken by the incident, described how it made them feel insecure.
“We’ve always felt safe in our home and our neighbourhood,” Chambliss said. “To have that taken away, to feel so insecure, it’s devastating.”
The suspects succeeded in taking Val’s watch and jewellery, as well as Kim’s purse; however, the couple is convinced that the thieves stole much more. “They stole our peace of mind,” Chambliss added.
Hillsborough County deputies arrested Jenkins and Wright immediately, and they are now charged with attempted first-degree murder, among other things. Police are looking for a third person suspected of being involved in the attack.
While Val tries to recover from the injuries, a major challenge facing the couple is financial insecurity due to medical bills and the general stress of the incident. However, they are thankful to the deputies who arrived early and applied a Pressure bandage which stopped Val’s bleeding and saved his life.
