Tampa Dog Park Shooter Found Not Guilty In Death Of Gay Man: Reports

TAMPA, FL — A jury found a man not guilty Thursday in the fatal shooting of a gay man at a Tampa dog park last year, according to multiple reports.

Gerald Radford was charged with second-degree murder, in the Feb. 2, 2024, shooting death of John Walter Lay at West Dog Park off North Occident Street.

Radford, 66, claimed self-defense in the shooting, though, and said that he opened fire after Lay attacked him at the park, Watermark reported.

The defendant sought to have the case dismissed in a December stand-your-ground hearing, reports said.

Prosecutors, seeking a hate-crime enhancement to the charge, argued that Radford, 66, targeted the victim because he was gay, Fox 13 reported.

Lay’s friends also said that Radford targeted him for his sexual orientation and had been harassing him for months, calling the victim homophobic slurs, according to WTSP.

State Attorney Suzy Lopez’s office sent a statement about the jury’s decision to ABC Action News.

“We respect the jury’s decision in this case and thank them for their service. We especially thank the community members who stepped up in the hours and days following the shooting to provide critical information that helped law enforcement investigate this case,” the statement said. “While it is not the outcome we sought, we are proud to stand with Walt’s friends and family as we fought for justice together. The fact that this victim was forced to endure hatred and prejudice from the defendant based on his sexual orientation shows that our society still has progress to make toward equality."