The UCF-area shooting that spurred a reported internal investigation at the Orange County Sheriff’s Office may have been gang related, a newly released incident report indicates.
KnightNews.com broke this story after students reported hearing gunfire on Khayyam Avenue Thursday night. The Orange County Sheriff’s Office incorrectly informed the public there was not a threat, stating in a tweet there was “no credible report” of shots fired near UCF.
Deputies talked to a resident of the neighborhood who said he was walking his dog when he heard a group of men arguing. The man, who KnightNews.com is not identifying, told deputies he turned around and saw four men in a heated argument in the middle of the street, the incident report said.
The man said he heard one of the men in the group yell “Brim blood,” and three of the men pulled out handguns. He told deputies he saw two of the men run away from the area as one man fired a round at them, the report said.
As the men were running away, the witness said he heard one of them yell, “we’re going to kill you.” He told deputies the men might know where he lives and is in fear for his family’s safety, the report said.
The incident report states deputies are classifying the incident as possibly gang-related.
KnightNews.com talked to several witnesses who heard gunfire and saw a gunman. Deputies also said they found a shell casing near the scene.
KnightNews.com reached out to Orange County Sheriff’s Office Thursday night by contacting their Public Information Officer Jane Watrel, who was on call that night. Watrel did not answer or return either of our two calls.
About an hour later, a tweet was was sent out from Orange County Sheriff’s Office Twitter account indicating there was “no credible report” of shots fired near UCF.
KnightNews.com almost immediately replied asking if this information was correct and supplied information from witnesses. A reporter at WKMG Local 6 also replied to OCSO’s tweet informing them that a deputy told him a shell casing was recovered at the scene.
WKMG Local 6 followed up with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office about the story and found out they were looking into if the tweet was incorrect.
The tweet was eventually found to be false after Local 6 investigated, and OCSO spokesman Jeff Williamson sent out an email indicating it was a mistake.
“The tweet was incorrect. In fact multiple patrol deputies arrived on scene and interviewed witnesses. There was a potential victim who declined to prosecute and a witness who gave testimony as to what he saw,” OSCO spokesman Jeff Williamson said. “Shell casings were recovered at the scene and the case is open and ongoing.”
The tweet, sent out Thursday at 9:45 p.m., has yet to be corrected or deleted on Orange County Sheriff’s Office Twitter.
