Person Killed, Set On Fire In Field Behind Residential Area In Ruskin

RUSKIN, FL — Hillsborough County firefighters encountered a "jarring" scene when they were called to a fire in a field in Ruskin on Saturday and discovered a person in flames.

Shortly after 8 a.m., someone called 911 to report seeing what appeared to be a mannequin on fire in an open field behind a residential area in the 1100 block of Will Scarlett Avenue.

When firefighters arrived, they found a person who'd been killed by upper body trauma and then set on fire. Due to the severity of the burns, the person could not be identified.

“This is a jarring scene,” said Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister. “At this time, our deputies are doing everything they can to determine what happened to this person. We do believe this is an isolated incident, and we will continue to work tirelessly until we determine how this horrific crime occurred.”

There were no other details released.