2 teen men shot, killed in downtown DeLand, police say
2 teens shot, killed in downtown DeLand
Investigators are searching for the person responsible for the fatal shooting of two teenagers in downtown DeLand as police work to determine a motive and whether the victims were targeted.
DELAND, Fla. - The DeLand Police Department is investigating the shooting of two teenage men, who were found dead in a vacant, abandoned lot in downtown DeLand on Wednesday night.
Who are the victims?
What we know:
Police said the two men – identified as 19-year-old Dustin Rose and 18-year-old Sampson Campbell – were found around 10:40 p.m. at a vacant lot on W. New York Avenue.
Both men had been shot multiple times, police said, and were found dead at the scene.
Police described both men as childhood friends.
Rose, who grew up in DeLeon Springs, was a student at The Citadel, the military College of South Carolina, and served in the National Guard.
Campbell lived in Deland, and had recently moved to Chicago, police said.
What we don't know:
Even though both men now lived out of state, police were investigating what brought both men back to Florida.
Detectives are still investigating the circumstances of the shooting. It's unclear if the men were victims of a random attack or targeted or some other circumstance.
Police have not named a potential suspect or suspects.
What they're saying:
"My thoughts are with the victims and their families today," DeLand Police Chief Jason Umberger said in a statement.
"This is a tragic situation for all involved, and my department is working to find the answers as to what happened."
Police ask for help in solving double murder
What you can do:
DeLand Police are asking for the public's help, specifically if anyone saw anything suspicious or out of the ordinary, or had contact with either Rose or Samson, between Tuesday night and Wednesday night.
Contact DeLand Police:
- Non-emergency line: 386-943-8276
Athens Theatre statement
Thursday morning, the Athens Theatre – a community theater in downtown DeLand – posted a statement on its Facebook page.
The theater said Thursday's summer classes and evening's performance of Sister Act would continue as scheduled.
The Source: This story was written with information released by DeLand Police Department.