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Tampa Man Disposed of Gun After Shooting, Deputies Say

Tyler Chase Bardin | Hillsborough Sheriff | Arrests

He admitted shooting a man but no longer has the gun, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. An investigation into the shooting is ongoing.

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY – A Tampa man has been accused of disposing of a gun that was used in the shooting death of another Tampa man, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said.

Tyler Chase Bardin, 22, of Tampa, was charged with one count of tampering with physical evidence, a felony. The charge arose from an investigation into the Thursday (Dec. 28) shooting death of Tampa resident Brian Vessel, 46.

Hillsborough deputies said Bardin called 911 about 1:43 a.m Thursday (Dec. 28) and admitted to shooting  Mr. Vessel and being in possession of a firearm at that time. A physical altercation between the two had escalated outside of Apt. C, 3811 Cortez Circle, Tampa, and Bardin intentionally shot Mr. Vessel five times, investigators said. Bardin then fled the scene still armed with a firearm.

The handgun and shell casings from the shooting have still not been recovered and were last known to be in Bardin’s possession, according to deputies. Originally, Bardin told investigators that he threw the weapon into the small pond next to his apartment building. The HCSO Dive team combed the body of water but did not find a weapon.

Bardin’s attorney later told deputies that Bardin’s firearm had not been thrown in the pond, and that it, his clothing and cellular telephone were allegedly within Apt. B, 4018 Cortez Drive. Detectives obtained a search warrant for that location and recovered Bardin’s clothes and his cell phone. The weapon was not located.

On Friday (Dec. 29), a warrant was issued for Bardin’s arrest based on probable cause related to his intentionally discarding items of evidentiary value to the shooting investigation. He knowingly removed the items from the scene, to include the unknown firearm, the shell casings, and his clothing that was worn during the incident, deputies said.

The shooting investigation is continuing.

Hillsborough Sheriff | Crime | Tampering with Evidence | Shooting Death | Shooting | Brian Vessel | Arrests | Tampabay News

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