Home News 

Story

Teens Talk About Carjacking Encounter With Suspected Gunmen

Posted: 4:53 pm EST December 28, 2005Updated: 5:39 pm EST December 28, 2005

VIDEO: Gunmen Kill Man During Robbery Spree

ORLANDO, Fla. -- After a crime spree that stretched across Orange County and left one person dead, police said, the suspects stole a car to make their getaway. Orlando detectives said they believe the three suspects left the Good Homes area and then came to MetroWest. Once they were there, they pushed three teenagers out of a car and took off

"All of a sudden they surrounded the car. One was behind, the left and the right," said a male victim who didn't want to be identified.

Bandlin and two other friends were in her Ford Explorer when, she said, three men came up to her car at the Willow Key Apartments.

"We saw the gun. He tried to break the window, got us on the ground and he started to search us all," the male victim said.

The three men wanted the keys to the car. Bandlin said a man with dreadlocks pointed a gun at her.

"He had the gun pointed to my stomach so I kept thinking, 'Oh my gosh, he might shoot me.' So I just stayed still," she said.

Orlando detectives believe the suspects are the same men involved in the Good Homes murder and robbery at the Hawthorne Groves Apartments.

The teen who didn't want to be identified said the men seemed like they wanted to get out of the area as quickly as possible.

"They looked like they were in a big hurry," he said.

As detectives continue to look for more leads, Bandlin and her friends said they were just glad they listened to the suspects and didn't get hurt.

"Scary, I'm just glad to be alive and I'm glad. I'm alive and nothing happened to me," she said.

Cops are looking for a 1997 black, two-door Ford Explorer. It has a Florida tag number H11KMR. If you have any information, please call police.

More Headlines

Make WFTV Your Power On

Did you ever turn your television off at night and notice the next morning that your set comes on to a different channel? You can set your cable box so that your TV comes on to the station you want. It's easy! Full Story ››
Step-By-Step Text Instructions


Click Picks
Video Clips
AP Photo/Peter Kramer
Heidi Klum and her post-baby body led the parade at the annual Victoria's Secret fashion show, which returned to New York with some fresh faces after four years on the road. View Images ››


Strange News Photos

From brilliant to bizarre, our 99-photo slideshow captures a variety of strange news. Photos are added often. Take A Look!

County-By-County News

Get Hyper-Local On WFTV.com

Visit our County-By-County section for the latest news headlines out of your county. » County-By-County

When you take videos or photos of Central Florida news or weather events, iWitness is your place to upload them. » iWitness

Visit your headquarters for county-by-county news and resources, and a place to share community videos and photos. » 9Central