10 people shot in Lakeland, 2 in critical condition. Here's what we know.

C. A. Bridges and Andy Kuppers, The Daytona Beach News-Journal
·3 min read
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According to a news release from the Lakeland Police Department, a drive-by shooting occurred just north of Bartow Road in midtown Lakeland late Monday afternoon.

Initially, nine people were reported shot, two of them in critical condition, but that was updated to 10 in a press conference hours later.

Here's what we know so far.

Mass shooting in Lakeland:Ten people shot in midtown Lakeland, a few blocks north of downtown, police say

Was there a shooting in Lakeland?

According to Lakeland police, there was a shooting about 3:45 p.m. Monday.

What happened in the shooting in Lakeland?

In a press conference Monday night, Lakeland Police Chief Sam Taylor said that around 3:45 p.m. a dark blue Nissan 4-door with tinted windows and a temporary tag slowed but didn't stop near Iowa Avenue and Plum Street.

It appeared that four people fired out of all four windows at people on both sides of the street, Taylor said. The vehicle then took off at a high rate of speed.

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How many people were injured in the Lakeland shooting?

Taylor said when police arrived they found three victims on the scene, and witnesses told them seven more victims had been rushed to Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center via private cars. He said all the victims were adult males between the ages of 20 and 35. Two were in critical condition, he said. One was shot in the abdomen, the other in the area of the jaw.

According to a witness who asked to be identified only as Dex, he heard 13 shots.

"Pop, pop, pop, pop, pop," he said. "I guess they ran out of rounds."

Where did the shooting in Lakeland take place?

On Iowa Avenue, just north of Plum Street, according to police. The area is one block east of Massachusetts Avenue and just south of Memorial Boulevard. It's also about a quarter mile north of the Lakeland police headquarters.

Was the shooting in Lakeland gang-related?

"Too early to say it's gang-related," Taylor said.

"This is something that doesn't happen in Lakeland," he added, stressing he'd never seen anything like this in his years on the force. "It actually saddens me. We consider ourselves to be a small town."

Is the Lakeland public in danger?

"We have reason to believe this was a targeted event, that it was not a random act," Taylor said.

"We don't believe there's any reason the public should be concerned right now."

Has a reward been offered?

Reward offered for information about a shooting in Lakeland Jan. 30, 2023.
Reward offered for information about a shooting in Lakeland Jan. 30, 2023.

A $5,000 reward has been offered in partnership with Heartland Crime Stoppers Florida for information that leads to the identification and arrest of the suspects involved in the shooting.

To remain anonymous and be eligible for a reward, there are four ways to contact Crime Stoppers :

  • Call 1-800-226-TIPS (8477)

  • From your cell phone, dial **TIPS

  • Visit www.heartlandcrimestoppers.com and click on Submit A Tip.

  • Download the free app "P3tips" on your phone or tablet.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Lakeland, Florida shooting: Here's what we know today