A woman has been arrested on an attempted murder charge in connection to the shooting of an off-duty ATF agent outside a Riverbend bowling alley.
Tia Heyward, 23, aided her brother, the alleged shooter, after the incident, deputies said in a news release from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.
On Dec. 27, dispatchers received a call about 11 p.m. concerning a shooting at The Alley at Southshore, located at 10221 Big Bend Road in Riverview.
Matthew Murray, 48, had tried to intervene in an altercation between a group of young people who were picking fights with strangers, his wife testified in court.
Moments later, Murray was shot in the neck, partially paralyzing him.
Christopher Demarcus Smith, 18, was arrested Dec. 28 and is accused of shooting Murray. He is being held in jail without bail while he awaits trial on charges that include attempted murder.
Heyward, who is Smith’s sister and legal guardian, previously told the Tampa Bay Times she witnessed the fight that night. Murray was the aggressor, she said, and had punched a 16-year-old relative of hers.
Earlier this month, Murray’s wife testified in a Tampa courtroom that her husband’s shooting had been unprovoked.
“My husband was trying to deescalate the situation,” she said. “It was like we walked into an ambush.”
Heyward was arrested Wednesday and faces charges of first-degree attempted murder, great bodily harm as an accessory after the fact, aggravated battery as an accessory after the fact and two counts of simple battery.
“Our detectives have worked tirelessly to ensure that all those responsible for this senseless act of violence are held accountable and face the consequences of their actions,” said Sheriff Chad Chronister in the news release. “Our prayers remain with the ATF agent as he courageously embarks on his road to recovery.”
