TAMPA, Fla. — For plenty of Bay area residents, the Courtney Campbell Causeway was the place to be on the Fourth of July.

The water, the beach, an ample view for fireworks. Until it all went wrong.

For Jim Erisman, there’s nothing quite like the fishing here in the Bay Area.

“This is as close to Bradenton that we could get and I love it," he said.

But the atmosphere on this day is anything but bright. For just across this bay, at a boat ramp on the Courtney Campbell Causeway, was a different scene.

“There were a lot of people," says Erisman, who is visiting with his wife from Ohio. "A lot of people, a lot of boats and a lot of jet skis.”

A scene that began anything but out of the ordinary until police showed up.

“There were a lot of lights flashing and I’m not sure what was going on. We didn’t walk over there to see and I don’t know if we were at that spot or not but they were there for quite some time," he said.

Erisman recounts what he saw the night of July 4th — a deadly shooting taking the life of a 7-year-old boy. Erisman and his wife were not far from where it happened.

“We were pretty close because we saw fireworks on and off and everything and, next thing we know, we saw a police car pull up and then another police car pull up.”

An unfortunate event, Erisman says, that could have been avoided.

“I just can’t imagine something would get that bad where they had to shoot a little boy and grandpa, too. It’s just sad, a sad thing.”

Tampa Police say they need witnesses to come forward. Anyone with information is asked to call Crimestoppers at 1-800-873-TIPS.