POLK COUNTY, Fla. – A “documented gang member” was arrested following a drive-by shooting in Lake Wales last month, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
In a release, investigators said they responded to the shooting around 3:20 a.m. on Nov. 22 along 3rd Street in Waverly.
Witnesses reported an SUV was seen driving onto Hodge Street before gunfire rang out.
Investigators said they later identified Daquan Carey, 23, as the shooting suspect, learning that he was a gang member with previous charges of firearm possession, narcotics possession and fleeing law enforcement.
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Carey was later tracked to the Della Vita apartment complex in Winter Haven, where he was found in a car in the parking lot, detectives said.
Despite fighting with deputies and trying to run away, he was ultimately taken into custody, and investigators found a loaded handgun, narcotics and marijuana in his pockets, the release states.
Deputies also told News 6 that Carey was connected to a fatal stabbing at a local Publix a few weeks prior.
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In that case, another man named Teville Burgess was being chased by five gang members into the store, and he ended up fatally stabbing one of them when they tried to attack him, according to Sheriff Grady Judd.
“They jumped on him in the Publix, and he cut and stabbed and killed another gang associate,” Judd said. “So this is the second person that he has killed in apparent self-defense.”
Judd explained that Burgess had shot another man in self-defense last year after a gang-related argument broke out over a video game in Lake Wales.
As a result of both of these incidents, Carey had decided to pursue Burgess, Judd added.
“Now, Burgess has killed two of his friends. Daquan drives by Burgess’ residence, sees Burgess talking to his girlfriend, and does a drive-by shooting with the intent of killing Burgess in retaliation,” Judd stated.
However, Judd also said Carey missed Burgess, though a nearby vehicle was struck by at least one round.
Deputies said Carey’s criminal history dates back to 2014 when he was 13 years old, and it includes dozens of previous charges and four felony convictions.
Following this drive-by shooting, Carey faces the following charges:
- Attempted first-degree murder
- Shooting into an occupied vehicle
- Possession of ammunition by a convicted felon
- Carrying a concealed firearm
- Battery on a law enforcement officer
- Resisting arrest with violence
- Resisting arrest while armed
- Possession of oxycodone
- Possession of prescription drugs without a prescription
- Resisting arrest without violence
- Possession of marijuana
- Possession of drug paraphernalia
- Failure to appear warrant
- Two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
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