‘Running gun battle’ between drivers in Winter Haven leaves 4 shot, 1 dead, sheriff says

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — Deputies in Polk County are investigating after four people were shot and one person was killed early Sunday.

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Deputies said the shooting, described as a “running gun battle,” happened around 1:13 a.m. in the area of Martin Luther King Blvd. and 11th Street NE in unincorporated Winter Haven.

Watch Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd give an update on the shooting:

According to a report, people inside of a silver Toyota Camry and a dark-colored sedan exchanged gunfire.

Deputies said all four men in the Toyota were shot. Three were taken to a hospital in critical condition and the fourth, a 20-year-old man, died in the front passenger seat.

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All the shooting victims are from the Polk County area, deputies said.

After the shooting, the dark-colored vehicle was seen at a local hospital, where another person who was shot was dropped off in critical condition, deputies said.

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Anyone who has information about this shooting is encouraged to call the Polk County Sheriff’s Office at 863-298-6200 or Crime Stoppers.

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