Three-year-old, two adults shot dead in Florida over apparent sale of dog

Three people, including two adults and a toddler aged three, were shot dead in a horrendous incident on Saturday night (September 23), during an argument that erupted over an apparent dog sale in Florida, said officials.

The shooting took place shortly after 10 pmat a Florida apartment complex. As per Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Assistant Chief JDStronko, the deputies responding to the reports of shots fired, found that two adults and a 3-year-old child were killed, while another adult had sustained injuries, according to the Florida Times-Union.

During a press conference, Stronko told reporters that five people, including the toddler, had travelled to the apartment complex over the sale of a dog, though it wasn't immediately clear if they were purchasing or selling the dog.

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"For reasons that are unknown to us at this time, a dispute ensued in a breezeway between two of the apartment buildings resulting in four of the five individuals being shot. Of those individuals shot, three are now deceased. That includes the 3-year-old child who travelled there with them," Stronko said.

He then said that three out of four adult victims in the group were in their 20s.

Stronko did not elaborate on the seriousness of the wounds sustained by one of the victims. However, he indicated that the fifth victim was not hurt in the incident.

Witnesses at the scene of the crime told the police that they saw two men fleeing the scene in a car, and there was no more information available about the victims or suspects, said Stronko.

"The early indication is they did travel here for purposes of conducting a sale of a dog. But it is unknown whether that is going to be the final version of events we get when this all shakes out. But that is what we were told initially," he said.

He further added that the detectives were working to identify the victims as well as witnesses in order to collect more details about the circumstances of the shootings.

(With inputs from agencies)

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