THE VILLAGES, Fla. – A patron at an Applebee’s in The Villages shot and killed a man who entered the restaurant after he was involved in another shooting outside, police said.
The fatal shooting happened around 1:15 a.m. Tuesday at the Applebee’s at 1009 Bichara Blvd. in Lady Lake.
Lady Lake police said a preliminary investigation shows that a man arrived at the Applebee’s just before 1 a.m. and got into an altercation outside the restaurant, which was closed. Police said at least three gunshots were fired during the altercation.
Employees locked the doors of the restaurant and called 911, and the man tried to enter through the front door, but it was locked, police said.
A woman who was already inside the restaurant opened a side door and let the man inside, where another altercation took place, police said.
A patron who has a concealed weapons permit was inside the restaurant and shot the man, who died at the scene, according to police.
The man who was killed has not yet been positively identified.
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No other details, including whether the patron who shot the man was involved in the earlier altercation, have been released.
Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call the Lady Lake Police Department at 352-751-1565 or Crimeline at 800-423-TIPS (8477).
Lady Lake, about 50 miles northwest of Orlando, is considered the birthplace of The Villages, a large retirement community that spans Lake, Marion and Sumter counties.