ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – A man was fatally shot near an Orlando home Wednesday in an area marred by previous shootings, officials with the Orange County Sheriff's Office said.
Deputies identified the victim Thursday morning as 43-year-old Barretta Powell.
A 911 caller reported the shooting at 1014 Michigan St. at 9:05 a.m.
Deputies initially said the shooting appeared to be drug related, and said Thursday that it had been ruled a homicide. The suspect, who has not yet been identified, was believed to have known Powell, authorities said.
Powell was taken to Orlando Regional Medical Center, where he later died.
Armens Amiscar said he was working nearby at the time of the shooting but he didn't hear the gunshots.
"It's horrible, man, it's horrible. Life is crazy, this has to stop," Amiscar said.
He said he plans to be more careful since he works in the area frequently.
"We are going to watch out. We are going to watch out, be careful. You never know what's going to happen because we didn't expect this this morning," Amiscar said.
Wednesday's shooting marks the most recent for the south Orlando neighborhood sandwiched between Orange Blossom Trail and I-4.
The shooting happened three streets away from where an innocent bystander was shot on Christmas Day. Deputies said they do not believe the two incidents are related.
Deputies were called to 24th Street at 2:33 a.m. after witnesses said multiple shots were fired into a home by an unknown person, according to the Sheriff's Office.
The 43-year-old victim was found across the street from the targeted home suffering from a non-life-threatening gunshot wound. Several nearby homes were also hit with gunfire, deputies said.
The investigation into both shootings are ongoing.
The Michigan Street shooting happened directly across the street from where a bail bondsman was fatally shot in April.
James Arnold, 29, was arrested in May and charged with second-degree murder in connection with the shooting death of 53-year-old James Cole.
Neighbors told News 6 the most recent shooting has put them on edge.
