DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Authorities thought they cornered a man accused of shooting four Bethune-Cookman University students early Friday morning, but when their robot went into the apartment complex they were surrounding, no one was found.
Channel 9 learned four students were shot by a man who had been kicked out of a house party in Daytona Beach.
Police said Vincent Smith, 23, returned to the house with a gun and opened fire.
A SWAT team surrounded an apartment in Brevard Count on Friday, thinking Smith was inside. After several hours, they sent in a video-equipped robot and no one was inside.
The injured students included Reginald Graham, 20, Frank Thomas, 21, and Darian Baker, 21, and Vintonisha Smith, 19. Two of the students played football, police said.
"According to one of the witnesses, he was in between two cars and he just started firing randomly," said Jimmie Flynt of the Daytona Beach Police Department.
Photos: Shooting near Bethune-Cookman University
Daytona Beach police said the shooting happened in a neighborhood on Henry Butts Drive not far from Bethune-Cookman University. The victims drove themselves to the hospital.
Lisa Wilson said she called police at about 10 p.m. Thursday, when she first heard gunshots.
"We ran in the backroom and ducked, because I have a 7 and 9-year-old little girls, and we were freaking out," said Wilson.
But, it was not until about two hours later that police believe Smith opened fire at a party of more than 50 people, in retaliation for getting kicked out.
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The students' injuries are not life-threatening, authorities said.
Daytona Beach police officers investigating and found marks where bullets grazed a home.
Raymond Wallace's house was hit.
"Me and all my homeboys live over here at my house and junk and whoever fired from this direction down here. We almost got hit because it left a mark of the bullet right there and all us went to running and ducking," Wallace said. "The gunshot came off, then heard another one and we all went to ducking and running, like, 'Get the kids, get the babies, let's go, move!'"
Wilson said she was furious police didn't show up until the second round of gunfire, saying it was a fairly normal occurrence.
"The parties here a lot of the Bethune-Cookman kids, and a lot of people they have parties here almost every weekend and there's always gunshots going off," Wilson said.
Police said Vincent Smith is driving an orange 2011 Chevy Camaro, with Florida tag number: DGKD87 or a Florida temporary tag number: BFJ3044 may still be attached to the vehicle.
"We don't know if these people were the intended victims or he was just shooting wildly and whoever the bullet hit, they became a victim," said Flynt.
Smith is known to frequent Marina Vista, Sail Point Bay, Wedgewood and Eagle Oaks Apartments, police said. He has a "Love of my life" tattoo on his left shoulder, police said.
Anyone with information is asked to text "CRIMES" (274637) with a cellphone or log on to www.dbpd.us and click on Anonymous Web Tips. When using a cellphone, all messages should begin with "DBTIPS." Tipsters will remain anonymous.
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