Couple followed home from Hard Rock Casino, ambushed, shot after hitting jackpot

TAMPA, Fla. - A date night at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino turned a Riverview couple into targets for violent robbers.

Hillsborough County deputies arrested two men for following the couple home from the casino, then ambushing them in their driveway, robbing and shooting both of them.

The horrific ordeal was captured on Ring doorbell video.

"I hear another gunshot and my first thought was 'they've killed him.' I was hysterical, I screamed and cried," said Kim Chambliss.

Chambliss and her boyfriend, Val Delacruz, had just arrived home from a date night when two masked men surrounded their car and demanded money.

"I ran and I fell in the door and the other guy came out and shot me again for the third time in my left leg," said Delacruz.

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Video captured the chilling moments when Delacruz, who was shot in both legs, pleads with the suspects standing over him. He said a neighbor came outside, and the two men drove away.

Investigators arrested Marcus Jenkins and Tristin Wright. Surveillance video shows the duo watching the couple at the Hard Rock Casino. Investigators told the couple, the suspects watched them for two hours and then followed them all the way back to Riverview.

"We're just average people, you know, who are out having a good time, you know, who love each other and enjoying each other's company. And to know that we didn't even realize that people were following us every step of the way. It's scary. It's scary," said Chambliss.

"How many people do they do that to?" said Delacruz.

The night had started as their monthly date night.

"We don't get to do it often just because we both work extremely hard."

The couple capped off the night at the Hard Rock. Val joked he needed to win money back from dinner and drinks.

"I hit and I got a jackpot. And, you know, I was dancing," said Delacruz.

He celebrated the win and the couple cashed out with about $3,000, then drove home.

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"I’m normally aware of my surroundings or would notice if someone was following me. But that night, we were in deep conversation," said Val.

The couple said responding deputies saved Val’s life, quickly applying a tourniquet. He had a through-and-through wound on his right thigh.

"I lost so much blood, if they didn’t do that, I wouldn’t have made it," said Delacruz.

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Val is now in unbearable pain, unable to walk. Doctors say it could be six months. He missed out on taking his son to his first day of school.

"I couldn’t even walk him to his second grade class," said Delacruz.

The suspects took off with Val’s watch and jewelry, along with Kim’s purse, but the couple says they stole much more than that.

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"We've always felt safe in our home. Safe in the neighborhood. To have that taken away, to have just such an insecure feeling," said Chambliss.

HCSO investigators are still working to identify the third suspect.

Jenkins faces a multitude of charges, including attempted first degree murder. Investigators said Wright was the driver. He also faces a list of charges, including principal to attempted murder.

Val owns his own company and, as you can imagine, it’s difficult to work, and they have mounting medical bills. 

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