On Tuesday, January 3, 2023, at approximately 11:30 a.m., Kenneth Bernard Bowers was arrested in connection with a shooting that occurred on December 26, 2022, at the Providence Reserve Apartments. Bowers, age 48, was located in Tampa, Florida, and taken into custody without incident. He faces charges of First Degree Murder, Attempted Murder in the 2nd Degree, and two counts of Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon. Post Miranda, Bowers confessed to the shooting.
Preliminarily, evidence shows that what started as an argument between juveniles escalated to physical altercations between numerous people. At some point during the fighting, Kenneth Bowers walked through the courtyard area with a firearm and shot the two victims referenced in the press release below. Bowers also pointed the weapon at two additional persons, firing at one, before fleeing the scene. Bowers did not appear to be involved in the physical altercations or actively threatened by anyone at the scene.
“It is my hope that this arrest brings some amount of relief for the loved ones of the victims. Their lives are forever changed, and we will do everything in our power to ensure justice is served. I want to thank the detectives for their tireless work, along with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, for their support and partnership in bringing Mr. Bowers into custody.” – Chief Sam Taylor.