3 shot, including 6-year-old girl, in Land O’Lakes home invasion, sheriff says
LAND O'LAKES, Fla. - The Pasco County Sheriff’s Office is searching for four suspects accused of shooting three people, including a 6-year-old girl, early Friday morning in Lake Padgett.
According to the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, a 60-year-old confronted the suspects outside the home around 4:40 a.m. and was shot in the head.
Deputies say the suspects then went inside the home and shot a 38-year-old woman and a 6-year-old girl while they slept in the master bedroom.
All three victims are in critical condition.
Deputies outside Land O'Lakes home where three people were shot.
According to investigators, the main resident of the home was not inside at the time of the shooting but did get into a fight with someone at an adult establishment in Tampa last week. The pair were also involved in a road rage incident shortly afterward.
"We believe there is a correlation between last week’s incident and this morning’s shooting," Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco said.
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According to Nocco, after shooting the 60-year-old man in the head, the suspects were screaming for the main resident inside the home. After they shot the mother and daughter, the suspects fled the scene.
Nocco said one of the victims was able to call 911. All three victims were taken to an area hospital in critical condition.
The sheriff added that while they don’t have a description of the suspects yet, the main resident of the home arrived at the home shortly after law enforcement.
"How evil must you be that you’re shooting innocent people in bed while they are sleeping?" Nocco asked. "You shot a 6-year-old. That 6-year-old wasn’t doing anything. She was going to go to school. Do a normal kid routine. Looking forward to the weekend. But now she’s fighting for her life because people who are just evil don’t care about life. We live in a society now where the respect for life is almost gone. How do you not respect the life of a 6-year-old? How do you not respect the life of a mother who’s sleeping with her daughter, trying to protect her and then the grandfather outside?"
PCSO vehicle on scene of shooting.
Sheriff Nocco is urging anyone in the area with cameras on their house is urged to go back and check their cameras to help provide any details about the shooting.
Nocco stated that deputies believe the shooting was targeted and there is no threat to the public.
Anyone with any information is asked to contact the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office at 1-800-706-2488.