Winter Haven man charged with manslaughter in fatal shooting
ORLANDO, Fla. - What we know: A 35-year-old man was arrested and charged with manslaughter Monday after a shooting on Avenue H NW left a 27-year-old man dead, according to police.
Timeline: Winter Haven Police responded to a 9-1-1 call around 4:37 p.m. regarding a shooting in the roadway.
The caller, identified as Andre Sequan Harris, 35, who is homeless, told the dispatcher, "I had to shoot my friend."
Officers and first responders arrived to find the victim lying on the ground with multiple gunshot wounds.
Life-saving efforts were made at the scene, and the victim was transported to Winter Haven Hospital, where he later died.
Witnesses told investigators that Harris and the victim had been arguing in a parking lot behind a duplex on Avenue H NW before the incident.
Harris left the scene in his black Ford F-150 but later returned, asking a witness where the victim had gone.
After learning the victim had walked to the front of the duplex, Harris drove around and confronted him.
The witness, who retreated inside the duplex, reported hearing a burst of gunfire, with two bullets striking the residence. No one inside was injured.
Detectives recovered seven shell casings from the scene and found the victim lying on the sidewalk next to Harris’s truck.
What they're saying: During his interview with police, Harris claimed the dispute stemmed from money and personal items he had lent the victim. He alleged the victim, who he said typically carried a K-bar knife in his sleeve, approached him with the knife extended. Harris stated he retrieved an AK-47 rifle from his truck and fired multiple shots.
However, investigators found the victim’s knife tucked into his sleeve and not extended, contradicting Harris’s account.
Harris was arrested and charged with manslaughter, shooting into a dwelling, and discharging a firearm in a residential area. He is being held at the Polk County Jail without bond.
"It is a miracle that innocent bystanders were not injured or worse with this reckless behavior," Police Chief Vance Monroe said in a statement. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the victim’s family as they face the future without their loved one."
The Source: The information in this article comes from the Winter Haven Police Department.
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