Shoe-kissing preceded East Bay shootingsGIBSONTON -- One boy made another kiss his shoe to avoid a beating. Then their older brothers got involved. That's why two teenagers wound up with gunshot wounds this week, neighbors say.It was all payback in an escalating case of bullying, neighbors say.On Dec. 11, Greg Powell, 16, learned that his 12-year-old brother was forced to kiss the shoe of 15-year-old Travis Tucker, according to April Junior, a neighbor.Powell went to Tucker's mom's house. The mom is Devaughn Duncan, 35.Talk turned violent, according to a sheriff's spokeswoman. A friend of Junior's daughter's, 15-year-old Salkumi Mexile, accompanied Powell from their bus stop to Duncan's home at 7956 Carriage Pointe Drive. Tucker hit Mexile in the face several times with a closed fist, according to Mexile and sheriff's spokeswoman Debbie Carter."Greg just wanted to know why they would do his little brother like that," Junior said.Travis Tucker could not be reached for comment. Nor could his mother.He was arrested in the beating, Mexile and Junior said. The Sheriff's Office confirmed that a 15-year-old boy was arrested on a felony battery charge, but would not disclose the juvenile's name.Two days later, sheriff's deputies responded when someone threw a brick through Tucker's home. And a day after that, Friday, Tucker was beaten at a bus stop by people the Sheriff's Office describe as "unknown suspects."And that's when Tucker's brothers -- James and Brian Gainey -- stepped in, neighbors say.Deputies say Brian Gainey, 17, was the gunman who opened fire on Jessica Davis and Greg Powell, two 16-year-old East Bay students, as they walked home from their bus stop at Ekker and Symmes Road in Gibsonton on Monday.Brian Gainey, 17, (left) and brother of 16-year-old suspect James Gainey (center) was charged with two counts of attempted first-degree murder after turning himself in to authorities at the Orient Road Jail late Tuesday, Carter said in a statement. Authorities arrested Jeffrey Argo, 19, (right) Tuesday after learning that he drove the brothers to the Carriage Pointe school bus stop Monday afternoon, authorities said.Powell was shot in the back, and a bullet struck Davis in the upper torso as they walked away from the bus stop into a subdivision, according to arrest reports. Both teens were taken to Tampa General Hospital, where they remain.Brian Gainey was arrested about 11 hours after his brother James, a 10th-grader at East Bay High School. James surrendered after a relative contacted sheriff's officials saying she had the boy with her. Argo and both brothers are being held in the Orient Road Jail without bail.All three suspects faced their first appearance in court today. Each was charged with two counts of attempted first-degree murder. Argo likely will be charged with violating probation in connection with an earlier armed robbery charge.Prosecutors say the Gainey brothers, both juveniles, will be charged as adults.No one was home at the Gainey residence today, and other family could not be immediately reached to comment.Families of the shooting victims have declined to allow hospital officials to release their children's medical conditions.But Shayna Junior, April Junior's daughter, said Wednesday that she had talked to Jessica, who said she is weak but able to get out of bed and into a wheelchair. Shayna said Jessica told her Greg is weak and can't get out of bed.- S.I. Rosenbaum, Rebecca Catalanello and Casey Cora, Times staff writersPrevious Times coverage: Today - Two arrested in shootings Tuesday - Two hurt in Monday shootingBooking photos courtesy of Hillsborough County Sheriff's OfficeDecember 19, 2007 in Hillsborough | Permalink