Gunman Who Killed Gay Man At Dog Park Is Charged With Murder After Delay In Arrest

A Florida man has been charged with murder in connection with the fatal shooting of a gay man at a Tampa dog park on Feb. 2, and prosecutors say the victim was targeted because of his sexual orientation, the Hillsborough State Attorney’s Office announced Friday.

Gerald Declan Radford, 65, of Tampa, was arrested Friday and charged with second-degree murder in the death of John Walter Lay, 52. The day before he was killed, Lay sent a video to his friends saying that a man he called “Dec” had been threatening him, according to a news release shared with HuffPost by the State Attorney’s Office. Investigators said they believe he was referring to Radford.

The arrest came five weeks after the shooting because investigators were gathering evidence that ultimately cast doubt on Radford’s claim at the scene that he had acted in self-defense, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Officesaid in a news release.

Prosecutors said that they will seek tougher sentencing guidelines under the state’s hate crime laws.

The investigation into Lay’s death began after authorities were called to the West Dog Park in Hillsborough County just before 8 a.m. on Feb. 2, according to a news release by the sheriff’s office.

According to the sheriff’s release, authorities discovered Lay at the scene with a gunshot wound. Deputies attempted to perform “life-saving measures,” but Lay was pronounced dead at a hospital.

During the initial investigation, Radford allegedly told responding investigators that he and Lay were in a “scuffle” and that he shot Lay in self-defense.

Radford also told The Tampa Bay Times that he acted in self-defense. “I was attacked. I defended myself. End of story,” he told a reporter.

According to the prosecutors’ news release,