At least 10 people were wounded Monday afternoon in a drive-by shooting in Lakeland, Florida, police said, and two are in critical condition.
A dark-blue Nissan four-door sedan pulled up at the scene of the shooting, Lakeland Police Department Chief Sam Taylor said.
“The vehicle slowed, did not stop, and the four windows went down. It appeared to be occupied by four shooters in the vehicle,” Taylor said. “They started firing from all four windows of the vehicle and shooting males on both sides.”
Eight of the victims have nonlife-threatening wounds, Taylor said at a news briefing Monday evening. Only three victims were transported by emergency management services, and they were between 20 and 35 years old. The others were taken in personal vehicles, he said.
Police believe it was a targeted event, the chief said.
The Nissan, which had temporary tags, took off at a high speed, and police are “actively looking for that vehicle now,” Taylor said.
“We will be out most of the night trying to figure out who these individuals are in the vehicle,” Taylor said.
Police are looking for at least four males who may have been wearing facial coverings, according to Taylor. He urged members of the community to call in with any information they may have that could help with the investigation.
In a joint effort with Heartland Crime Stoppers Florida, the police department on Monday offered a $5,000 reward for anyone who provides information that can lead to the identification and arrest of suspects connected to the shooting. Information may be reported at 1-900-226 TIPS (8477).
At the crime scene, police found a “quantity” of marijuana, which indicates to police that “there was a narcotic sales or sales of marijuana going on at the time,” Taylor said. “Whether that is significant or related to this is unknown.”
The chief said in his 34 years with the department, he had never worked on a case where so many people had been shot at one time.
“This is something that doesn’t happen in Lakeland,” Taylor said.
