Arrest Made In Fatal Road-Rage Shooting: Tampa Police

TAMPA, FL — An arrest was made in the Nov. 14 fatal shooting of 41-year-old Dedrick Sykes, Tampa police said in a news release.

Joel Moreno Cobo, 31, was taken into custody Thursday and charged with second-degree murder.
Officers responded to the report of a shooting at the intersection of East 5th Avenue and North 22nd Street on Nov. 14 just after 7 p.m.

When they arrived, they found a BMW car in the eastbound lanes and a Jeep Grand Cherokee in the westbound lane.

A man, later identified as Sykes, was on the ground between the cars, police said. First aid was provided before he was brought to a nearby hospital, where he later died from his injuries.

Moreno Cobo remained at the scene and the gun used in the shooting, which was in a holster on his waistband, was taken into evidence, police said.

He cooperated with investigators and claimed the shooting was in self-defense.

Detectives determined that Moreno Cobo, who was driving the BMW, was at the stop sign east on East 5th Avenue at North 22nd Street and was blocked from moving forward by a woman in an SUV.
Sykes, driving the Jeep, was directly behind her.

Moreno Cobo flashed his lights to get the SUV’s driver to move. As the SUV moved forward, Sykes also moved forward and turned west onto East 5th Avenue, police said.

He and Moreno Cobo argued briefly before Sykes stopped his Jeep.

Witnesses told investigators that Sykes, who wasn’t armed, got out of the Jeep and within seconds, shots were fired and he fell to the ground, police said.

Prior to this, Sykes didn’t make any threats or say anything suggesting he was armed, detectives said.

"Justice is rooted in evidence, and that has guided our entire investigation,” Chief Lee Bercaw said. "This arrest is the direct result of patience and precision, ensuring that we could bring a suspect into custody, and provide fact-based answers to a grieving family as they navigate this difficult time.”

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