Man killed in shooting in Orlando's Taft neighborhood
Dozens of evidence markers line 8th Avenue as deputies investigate
Dozens of evidence markers line 8th Avenue as deputies investigate
Dozens of evidence markers line 8th Avenue as deputies investigate
Orange County Sheriff's Office investigators are looking into what led up to a deadly shooting Wednesday night in Taft.
Deputies told WESH 2 News that just before 10 p.m. Wednesday, multiple shots were fired, and a man, identified as 39-year-old Juan Luis Cintron Garcia, was shot.
Paramedics rushed him to the hospital, but he died from his wounds. Garcia, until recently, had been living at the home.
For much of Thursday, crime scene technicians used a metal detector and scanned the ground in front of a home on 8th Avenue in Taft.
They were looking for shell casings and other evidence beyond the dozens of markers that dotted the home's front lawn.
Deputies said they are still in the early stages of this open murder investigation. They are confident this was not a random act.
"Detectives believe Mr. Cintron Garcia was targeted," deputies said.
So far, officials have not released any information about a potential suspect or their motive. Some neighbors report seeing a car speed away from the property.
"I heard gunshots. Rapidly," Carlos Ortiz, a witness, said. "After all the shots I heard, someone had to get hit because it was like, right there."
When the sun came up on Thursday, more than 80 evidence markers were spotted on the ground outside the house where deputies were investigating.
Bullet holes also lined the back of a white pickup truck in front of the house.
Emily, a middle school student, was at the bus stop with her mother. They also heard the gunfire.
"It was about two to three minutes straight. It was like a lot. That's why it lasted so long," she said.
While some parents walked their children to the bus stop on Thursday, others decided to drive them to school.
"Normally, my son rides his bike to school, but something told us to take him to school today. We see all this and are like, 'Thank God we took him to school.'" said Briana DeQuevedo.
WESH 2 News talked with other people living near this home. Some told us they believe there has been an increase in violent crime in this neighborhood, while others say it's relatively quiet most of the time.
Another neighbor who wished not to be identified said they thought the gunshots were fireworks.
"I'm like, they must be shooting off fireworks or a bunch of them at one time; I didn't even know it was gunshots. It's awful that the world has come to this," they said.
But Alberto Collazo, a resident in the neighborhood, said it's been a safe place to raise his kids.
"I moved in here, like, three years ago and I've never heard anything like this before," Collazo said.
Residents are hoping for the sheriff's office to solve this case quickly.
Court records indicate the victim, Garcia, lived at the same address as his wife and two children until he was arrested on March 29th and charged with battery and domestic violence on his wife.
WESH 2 News is not identifying her at this time because she is a victim in that case.
Garcia was also arrested in January 2018 and charged with battery and domestic violence against his former wife, but the State Attorney elected not to prosecute the case.
Florida Division of Corporation records indicate Garcia is an officer in an Orlando company called "65 Music."