Police in Lakeland, Florida, said a shooting left several people injured Monday.The shooting occurred in the area of Iowa Avenue North and Plum Street Monday afternoon around 3:43 p.m.Police initially said nine people were hurt, but they later learned that an additional person had injuries.Two people had critical injuries, and eight people had non-life-threatening injuries.Police said the two victims with critical injuries are getting surgery.”One is in surgery and the other is either in surgery or headed to surgery,” Lakeland Police Chief Sam Taylor said.The police chief said some of the victims are being more cooperative than others who were hurt.”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,” Taylor said.Four suspects in a four-door dark blue Nissan are believed to be involved in the shooting.”The vehicle slowed. It did not stop, and the four windows went down. It appears it was occupied by four shooters in the vehicle, and they started firing from all four windows of the vehicle and shooting males on both sides of the street,” Taylor said. Video above: Lakeland police give update after shooting injures 10 peopleOfficials say the car then sped away.He added that the shooting appears to be targeted.”We have reason to believe that this was a targeted event, that it was not a random act,” Taylor said.Taylor said a large amount of marijuana was found at the scene, but it’s unknown if it’s related.”We did locate a quantity of marijuana at the scene, which would indicate that obviously there was some narcotic sales or sales with marijuana going on at the time. And whether that is significant or related to this, it’s unknown,” Taylor said.The Lakeland police chief said he was shocked that this happened in the community.”This is something that doesn’t happen in Lakeland. 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,” Taylor said.Police said kids were getting off the bus just before the gunfire, putting them in jeopardy.”It’s just like get in the house – duck, we don’t know what’s going on. And you just heard ‘I’ve been hit, I’ve been hit.’ People (were) running,” two residents Antosha Collins and Tina said.The school bus stopped to drop off kids between Iowa and Plum Street in Lakeland Monday afternoon when moments later, gunshots flew everywhere.”It’s a blessing not one kid got shot. That is an absolute blessing,” Tina said.”You have kids of your own?” WESH 2’s Senait Gebregiorgis said.”Yeah, they were getting off the bus. They’re 7 and 9,” Tina said.When police got there, they found three people hurt and later learned that the other eight victims made it to the hospital with the help of others or on their own.They found two guns so far, but they’re still looking for the shooters.”When stuff like this happens, you know it just kind of hits home with me a little bit that maybe we’re not a small town anymore. It’s pretty sad,” Taylor said.”You don’t even know what the world is coming to. Everyone has to stay prayed up, know God, take everything to him and watch your surroundings the best you can,” Collins said.Orlando sister station WESH was told the victims are all men.Lakeland police need your help finding the suspects’ car, a dark blue four-door Nissan with tinted windows and a temporary license plate.If you know anything, give police a call.They plan to have at least 15 detectives stay in the neighborhood through the night to piece together what happened.
Police in Lakeland, Florida, said a shooting left several people injured Monday.
The shooting occurred in the area of Iowa Avenue North and Plum Street Monday afternoon around 3:43 p.m.
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Police initially said nine people were hurt, but they later learned that an additional person had injuries.
Two people had critical injuries, and eight people had non-life-threatening injuries.
Police said the two victims with critical injuries are getting surgery.
“One is in surgery and the other is either in surgery or headed to surgery,” Lakeland Police Chief Sam Taylor said.
The police chief said some of the victims are being more cooperative than others who were hurt.
“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,” Taylor said.
Four suspects in a four-door dark blue Nissan are believed to be involved in the shooting.
“The vehicle slowed. It did not stop, and the four windows went down. It appears it was occupied by four shooters in the vehicle, and they started firing from all four windows of the vehicle and shooting males on both sides of the street,” Taylor said.
Video above: Lakeland police give update after shooting injures 10 people
Officials say the car then sped away.
He added that the shooting appears to be targeted.
“We have reason to believe that this was a targeted event, that it was not a random act,” Taylor said.
Taylor said a large amount of marijuana was found at the scene, but it’s unknown if it’s related.
“We did locate a quantity of marijuana at the scene, which would indicate that obviously there was some narcotic sales or sales with marijuana going on at the time. And whether that is significant or related to this, it’s unknown,” Taylor said.
The Lakeland police chief said he was shocked that this happened in the community.
“This is something that doesn’t happen in Lakeland. 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,” Taylor said.
Police said kids were getting off the bus just before the gunfire, putting them in jeopardy.
“It’s just like get in the house – duck, we don’t know what’s going on. And you just heard ‘I’ve been hit, I’ve been hit.’ People (were) running,” two residents Antosha Collins and Tina said.
The school bus stopped to drop off kids between Iowa and Plum Street in Lakeland Monday afternoon when moments later, gunshots flew everywhere.
“It’s a blessing not one kid got shot. That is an absolute blessing,” Tina said.
“You have kids of your own?” WESH 2’s Senait Gebregiorgis said.
“Yeah, they were getting off the bus. They’re 7 and 9,” Tina said.
When police got there, they found three people hurt and later learned that the other eight victims made it to the hospital with the help of others or on their own.
They found two guns so far, but they’re still looking for the shooters.
“When stuff like this happens, you know it just kind of hits home with me a little bit that maybe we’re not a small town anymore. It’s pretty sad,” Taylor said.
“You don’t even know what the world is coming to. Everyone has to stay prayed up, know God, take everything to him and watch your surroundings the best you can,” Collins said.
Orlando sister station WESH was told the victims are all men.
Lakeland police need your help finding the suspects’ car, a dark blue four-door Nissan with tinted windows and a temporary license plate.
If you know anything, give police a call.
They plan to have at least 15 detectives stay in the neighborhood through the night to piece together what happened.
