APOPKA, Fla. — An 18-year-old man is dead and Orange County deputies are searching for his killers after he was shot late Sunday night. Deputies say a group of people got into a scuffle before the fatal gunshot was fired at an Apopka trailer park.
When deputies arrived at the scene at the Oak Tree Park trailer park community on Plymouth-Sorrento Road ( see map ) they found an 18-year-old victim inside a trailer home.
At this point, investigators are not releasing much information. There is some speculation that the shooting is related to a home invasion, but deputies have not confirmed that is the case.
SLIDESHOW: Image Of Teen, Shooting Scene
Marco Martinez 030110 Marco Martinez The incident started outside the trailer home of the victim's friend just before midnight Sunday. A witness told WFTV that around 11:30pm Sunday, the victim, Marco Martinez, and another man noticed a suspicious vehicle drive by the home. Shortly after, three men wearing masks approached them and demanded their valuables and belongings.
"We see a car slowly go by, and Marco looks and says, 'Who is that?' And I said, 'I ain't never seen that car,'" said Robert Cusser, eyewitness.
Cusser and Martinez went outside to investigate and that is when one of the men attacked Cusser and demanded money.
"The first one got out of the backseat with a 12-gauge and told me to lay down. I laid down. He asked me if I had any money and I said, '20 bucks,'" said Cusser.
During the altercation, the group ended up inside the home. That is where the 18-year-old was reportedly shot twice. The eyewitness says that the victim was trying to protect some children who were also inside the home at the time of the crime.
"My wife was telling me that Marco said, 'Hey, get that gun away from the kids,' and [Marco] went to stab the guy and the guy shot him," Cusser said.
Orange County investigators are still trying to confirm the facts of the incident that led to the fatal shooting.
Investigators cleared the crime scene early Monday morning. Their homicide investigation is ongoing.