Crime & Safety
Florida Arrest: Deputies Say Man Shot at Good Samaritan’s Car, Hit 5 Times
Hillsborough County, FL – A driver who stopped to help a man walking along a Hillsborough County road early Tuesday allegedly came under gunfire moments later, leaving his vehicle riddled with five bu
By Wesley Grant · 2026-10-01T21:27:42.434Z
Hillsborough County, FL – A driver who stopped to help a man walking along a Hillsborough County road early Tuesday allegedly came under gunfire moments later, leaving his vehicle riddled with five bullet strikes, deputies said.
According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff ’s Office, deputies responded shortly before 1 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 29, to a shooting near Main Street and Grovewood Avenue.
Investigators said the driver had stopped after a man walking along the roadway allegedly flagged him down with a flashlight. For reasons that remain unclear, the man allegedly opened fire on the driver, striking his vehicle five times, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Authorities did not report that the driver was struck by the gunfire.
“This man saw someone he thought needed help and stopped in. His kindness was met with violence,” Sheriff Chad Chronister said in a statement.
Detectives identified the alleged shooter as Franklin Windham. The Sheriff’s Office said Windham was arrested and faces several charges, including attempted second degree murder.
The agency’s social media post lists Windham as 37, although an arrest graphic included with the post appears to list his age as 32. The discrepancy was not immediately explained in the material provided by the Sheriff’s Office.
Photos released by authorities show multiple apparent bullet holes in the driver’s vehicle. The Sheriff’s Office did not provide additional details about what allegedly led to the shooting or the relationship, if any, between the two men.
The case remains under investigation.