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\"PHOTO:
Tampa Police Department
PHOTO: A photo provided by Tampa Police Department on Nov. 28, 2017 of Howell Emanuel Donaldson, who was arrested in connection with a string of murders. The photo is from 2010.
>

Florida Gov. Rick Scott commended the \"relentless effort\" of the Tampa police, who worked through the Thanksgiving weekend on the case.

\"As a father and a grandfather, it is unimaginable what the families of these victims are going through,\" Scott said. \"Our thoughts and prayers remain with them, and we will work to ensure that they receive the justice they deserve. In Florida, we have absolutely zero tolerance for this type of evil behavior and anyone responsible will be held to the fullest extent of the law.\"

Tampa police earlier in the day had said they were \"optimistic\" that a tip that led them to a McDonald's to investigate a person with a gun was connected to the deaths.

Police responded to the McDonald's in Ybor City at 2:45 p.m. after receiving the tip and confronted the person who had the gun, Chief Dugan said in a Tuesday news conference. They interviewed the individual at police headquarters, but Dugan reminded reporters at the time that he or she could have been \"completely innocent.\"

\"We'll see what type of answers this person has for us,\" Dugan said.

Aerial footage from above the McDonald's showed officers gathering near police tape surrounding the parking lot.

\"PHOTO:
WFTS
PHOTO: Tampa police are "optimistic" that a tip that led them to a McDonald's to investigate a person with a gun is connected to the recent string of murders in the city's Seminole Heights neighborhood.
>

When asked by a reporter whether he believed Tuesday's investigation was related to the Seminole Heights killings, Dugan responded, \"Yes, I believe this has to do with Seminole Heights.\"

\"I'm optimistic on this one, but only time will tell,\" he said. \"We have a lot of work to do.\"

Police recovered a gun from the individual, but it is not clear if that gun is connected to the killings, Dugan said.

There were more than 5,000 tips made to the Tampa police in the case, authorities said at Tuesday night's news conference.

We need names, not speculations, to help get this ruthless killer off the streets.
The @crimestopperstb reward for information in the Seminole Heights murders is now up to $100,000. pic.twitter.com/TRjW0W5fPe

— TampaPD (@TampaPD) November 17, 2017

Three people were shot and killed between Oct. 9 and Oct. 19, and a fourth person, 60-year-old Ronald Felton, was killed in the early morning hours of Nov. 14.

\"PHOTO:
WFTS
PHOTO: Tampa police are "optimistic" that a tip that led them to a McDonald's to investigate a person with a gun is connected to the recent string of murders in the city's Seminole Heights neighborhood.
>

After Felton's death, police released surveillance video of a man taken right before Felton was killed, which appears to show the same person seen in surveillance video taken on Oct. 9 right after the first victim, 22-year-old Benjamin Mitchell, was killed, police said.

Watch this video. Pay attention to the walk. Pay attention to the way he flips his phone. If you recognize this suspect in the Seminole Heights murders contact @crimestopperstb Reward up to $91Khttps://t.co/gZ3ykC7Vif

— TampaPD (@TampaPD) November 15, 2017
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