SANFORD, Fla. – Ahead of a busy shopping weekend, police in Sanford are investigating a deadly shooting near a Best Buy store.
Officers responded after 8 p.m. on Tuesday to the store on Rinehart Road, where they found a 21-year-old man who had been shot in the parking lot. Sanford police identified the victim as Terance Darnell Pope.
News 6 reached out to Sanford police Friday to ask for any updates in the investigation. A spokesperson told our crew that they are actively investigating. The latest information released by investigators publicly points to the shooting not being a random act.
Police believe people who were at the shopping center that night likely witnessed the incident.
“It’s a busy time of year,” spokesperson Bianca Gillett said. “It’s the shopping season just before the holidays at a, you know, major complex of stores.”
The store on Rinehart Road is right by State Road 417 in Sanford and close to other major retailers and the Seminole Towne Center mall.
At a press conference, Gillett urged shoppers who may have left the area Tuesday because they were panicked or scared to reach out to police if they may have any information.
“We are imploring the public, anybody that was in that area that has any information, please contact the Sanford Police Department,” Gillett said.
News 6 reached out to Pope’s family and friends and confirmed he was from DeBary. We also learned he played college football at Davenport University in Michigan. According to his player bio, Pope was on the roster for the 2021, 2022 and 2023 seasons. He played high school football at University High School in Orange City.
Police are working to find out why he was shot and who else was involved in this incident.
“There’s some leads that investigators are following right now, but we don’t have anything conclusive enough to say how it started, when it started,” Gillett said.
Gillett said investigators are reviewing surveillance video and other evidence from the night of the shooting to see what else they can learn.
If you have any information on this crime to please contact the Sanford Police Department or Crimeline at 800 423-8477 or visit www.crimeline.org. Calls made to Crimeline remain anonymous, and tips to Crimeline that lead to solving homicide cases are eligible for a cash reward of up to $5,000.
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