Florida

Drive-by Shooting in Florida Leaves 10 Injured

Investigators believe the shooting was targeted and not a random act

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At least 10 men were injured in an apparently targeted drive-by shooting Monday in Lakeland, Florida, officials said.

The shooting happened at around 3:45 p.m. in the 900 block of North Iowa Avenue, in the Polk County city, east of Tampa.

A crowd of people were gathered along a residential street when a dark-blue Nissan rolled by, police said. Four shooters were inside and fired from all four windows of the vehicle, shooting victims on both sides of the street, according to Lakeland Police Chief Sam Taylor.

The victims' ages ranged from 20 to 35 years old, police said. At least two were in critical condition at the hospital, while the wounds of the other eight victims weren't considered life-threatening.

Investigators believed the shooting was targeted and not a random act, with no threat to the public.

"This is something that doesn't happen in Lakeland," Taylor said. "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."

Police said marijuana was found at the scene of the shooting, and investigators believe drug sales were taking place.

Taylor described the neighborhood as “challenged” and said the police had focused a lot of attention on the area in recent years.

Officers were actively searching for the vehicle and the shooters.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

NBC 6 and Associated Press
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