The shooting happened after a gun sale fell through, Pinellas Park police said.

PINELLAS PARK – Police here have accused a man of attempting to murder a teen Tuesday (March 14) night.

The 17-year-old victim, whose name is being withheld because of his age, is in stable condition at Bayfront Health St. Petersburg.

Ryan Marcus Cardwell, 20, of Pinellas Park, was charged with attempted homicide and shooting into an occupied vehicle. Pinellas Park police officers said he turned himself in and admitted the shooting.

The shooting happened about 10:30 p.m. in the parking lot of a McDonald’s at 5170 Park Blvd., according to the Pinellas Park Police Department.

The teenaged victim had agreed to meet Cardwell to sell him a gun, officers said. When the victim got into Cardwell’s vehicle the gun sale transaction fell through at which time the victim took Cardwell’s wallet that contained a large amount of cash and returned to his own vehicle.

Officers said Cardwell got out of his vehicle and fired a handgun twice into the teen’s vehicle, which had three other juveniles inside. The 17 year old was struck once in the face and once in the leg. When he was hit, teenager accelerated his vehicle through the parking lot and exited onto Park Boulevard, continuing across the center median and ultimately went northbound on 52nd Street N. He came to a final stop in the 7700 block of 52nd Street.

The victim and two of the other occupants fled on foot although the injured teen was found a short time later, officers said.

For information about Pinellas Park police, go to pinellas-park.com.

Pinellas Park Police | Attempted Homicide | Crime | Arrests | TB Reporter

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