An investigation is underway after multiple people were shot Monday afternoon in Lakeland, Florida. Authorities believe it may have been a targeted attack.
Shooting Occurred After Kids Got Off School Bus
Lakeland police arrived at the area of Iowa Avenue North and Plum St. at around 3:43pm, where they found several people had been shot. The scene is near Laurel Oaks Apartments. The Lakeland Police Department reports that a car pulled through the neighborhood Monday afternoon, with four shooters shooting at both sides of the street.
The shooting occurred right after children arrived home from school. A Ring security video showed kids getting off a school bus right before the gunfire.
According to a statement released by the City of Lakeland, there were at least nine victims involved. Police later learned that an additional person was also injured, totaling ten victims so far. Eight people were left with non-life-threatening injuries, while two are in critical condition. The two with critical injuries are getting surgery.
“One is in surgery, and the other is either in surgery or headed to surgery,” said Police Chief Sam Taylor.
The police chief also said that some of the victims are more cooperative than others, saying that “some are cooperating, some are not cooperating. Some that had non-life-threatening injuries have decided that they don’t have any idea why this happened. And some are telling us everything that they know about it.”
Vehicle Recovered But Suspects Still at Large
Taylor briefed the media at the Lakeland Police Department. The update was also livestreamed on the police department’s Facebook page.
During the press conference, Taylor told reporters that the department’s officers would be out “most of the night” in search of suspects. The vehicle used, a blue Nissan sedan with temporary tags, has already been located. There are still no suspects in custody.
Although the suspects in the shooting are still at large, the public doesn’t need to be concerned. Authorities believe it was a targeted attack.
“We have every reason to believe this was a targeted event, that it was not a random act,” Taylor said during the press conference. He also noted that a large amount of marijuana was located at the scene. However, they are unsure “whether that is significant or related to” the shooting.
“This is something that doesn’t happen in Lakeland,” said Taylor. I’ve been here 34 years, and I can tell you I have never worked an event where this many people have been shot at one time ever.”
