Lakeland, Florida – The Polk County Sheriff’s Office is currently investigating a situation occurred in North Socrum Loop Road (near Fulton Green Road) in unincorporated Lakeland, in which deputies responded to a report of shots being fired. They eventually take a suspect into custody and find four people shot and killed in two homes. They also found an 11 year old girl shot multiple times.
Sheriff Grady Judd reported to the media that the situation initially started at 7:30pm Saturday night. A call came in regarding a suspicious car and a suspicious person at a home on Socrum Loop Road. The suspicious person told a woman that God told him to speak to one of her daughter. Deputies arrived shortly after the call but the suspicious person was gone.
Sheriff Judd then relays what unfolded 9 hours later (4:30am). A Polk County Sheriff’s Office Lt. who was at a different call two miles away heard bursts of gunfire. Polk County Deputies and Lakeland PD responded. Law enforcement found a truck on fire and a popping sound coming from the truck. They also saw a man dressed in camouflage and body armor, head into a house. Deputies did not see the man have any type of weapon at that time. Moments later they heard gunfire again this time coming from inside the house. They heard a woman scream and as Judd put it a baby whimper. Deputies attempted to get access into the house. However they found it barricaded. A gun battle ensues with officers and the now armed assailant in the home. Eventually things calm down and the man comes out of the home with his arms raised, with no weapons. Deputies take the man into custody. He has been shot once. They transport him to the hospital for treatment.
According to Sheriff Judd, deputies went inside the home and found three people deceased. A woman clutching a child was killed along with the child. A male was also found in that house. And anotherThe property has three homes on it. A house adjacent to that house also had a dead woman in it.
While at the hospital the assailant attempted to gain access to a Lakeland Police Department Officer service weapon. A struggle ensued and they assailant had to be sedated.
The 11-year-old girl was transported to Tampa general hospital and is undergoing surgery now.
The suspect advised that he was on methamphetamines and possibly other drugs.
Currently no motive for this horrendous shooting has been discovered. This however is a very active ongoing investigation. Additional information will be released as soon as it’s available.
