LAKELAND, Fla. — Ten people were injured Monday afternoon during a drive-by shooting in a central Florida neighborhood, police said.
Lakeland Police Chief Sam Taylor said during a news conference that two of the victims were critically injured, while the wounds of the other eight victims weren’t considered life-threatening. Lakeland is located about 30 miles east of Tampa.
“I’ve been here 34 years, and I can tell you I have never worked an event where this many people were shot at one time, ever,” Taylor said.
????BREAKING: 10 injured, 2 seriously after shooting in Lakeland, Florida - WFLA pic.twitter.com/hcJA5owMuZ
— Breaking News (@NewsJunkieBreak) January 31, 2023
A crowd of people were gathered along a residential street when a dark-blue sedan rolled by, police said. Shooters fired from the windows before the car sped away. Officers were actively searching for the vehicle and the shooters Monday night, officials said.
Taylor said investigators believe the shooting was a targeted attack.
JUST IN: 10 people wounded in drive-by shooting in Lakeland, Florida, east of Tampa; 4 possible shooters, police believe this was targeted and not random. @livenowfox pic.twitter.com/54dTuGyMm9
— Josh Breslow (@JoshBreslowTV) January 31, 2023
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.
