POLK COUNTY, Fla. – Deputies have taken three people into custody after a Lake Wales man was fatally shot during a disagreement on Tuesday, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
The shooting occurred around 7 p.m. after Vincent Thomas Jr., 21, and at least three others arrived in a car to a residence along Northside Drive, the sheriff’s office said in a news release.
Thomas Jr. — armed with a handgun — exited the car to confront a 20-year-old man outside of the residence, allegedly threatening to shoot him, according to the release. The sheriff’s office described the 20-year-old as a resident of the home, stating he and Thomas went to Lake Wales High School together, knew each other and “apparently had some disagreement with each other,” the release states.
During the altercation, the resident armed himself with a rifle and shot at Thomas several times, striking him at least twice, the sheriff’s office said. The people who were with Thomas took him to the hospital, where he died, according to the statement.
The sheriff’s office arrested two of the people who had taken Thomas to the hospital, accusing them of tampering with evidence and providing false information to law enforcement during a felony investigation, the statement reads. The resident who fired the rifle stayed at the scene and cooperated with detectives, the sheriff’s office said, otherwise later stating he was also in custody.
An investigation is ongoing, according to the sheriff’s office.
Anyone with information about the incident is encouraged to contact Heartland Crime Stoppers in one of the following ways:
- Call 888-400-8477
- Dial **TIPS from your cell phone
- Visit the Heartland Crime Stoppers website and click on “Submit A Tip”
- Download the free “P3tips” app on your smartphone or tablet.
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