At least 10 people were injured in a drive-by shooting Monday afternoon in Lakeland, Florida, law enforcement officials have detailed.
Two of those injured are now in critical condition, whereas eight others are experiencing nonlife-threatening wounds. All of the victims are men between the ages of 20 and 35.
“The vehicle slowed, did not stop, and the four windows went down. It appeared to be occupied by four shooters in the vehicle,” explained Lakeland Police Department Chief Sam Taylor. “They started firing from all four windows of the vehicle and shooting males on both sides.”
“This is something that doesn’t happen in Lakeland,” said Taylor, who has been working in the department for 34 years. “I have never worked an event where this many people have been shot at one time.”
Taylor added that police believe the shooting was a targeted event but have not identified their suspect, nor released a motive for the shooting. Investigators revealed they found a “felony amount” of marijuana at the crime scene suggesting there was a “narcotic sale” going on at the time, but did not specify if the sale was connected to the shooting.
"We don’t believe there’s any reason that the public would need to be concerned right now,” Taylor said. “We think that the individuals in the car shot at and shot who they wanted to shoot.”
Police are now looking for a dark blue Nissan four-door with dark windows and a temporary tag, and are asking any information regarding the shooting to contact the police.