LAKELAND, Fla. (WFLA) — One person is dead and a suspect is in custody after a shooting took place at a Lakeland convenience store Friday.
At 4:52 a.m., the Lakeland Police Department responded to reports of a shooting at the Fast Stop convenience store located at 820 E. Memorial Boulevard.
At the scene, officers located Ricardo Zelidon, 59, who was behind his vehicle with his hands up. They also discovered Jessie Woullard, 45, who was inside his vehicle, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.
Woullard was taken to Lakeland Regional Health for treatment, where he later died.
Detectives said that an initial investigation revealed that Zelidon was at the Fast Stop for several minutes before Woullard’s arrival.
As Woullard pulled into a parking space, detectives said that Zelidon moved his vehicle behind him to prevent him from leaving. Zelidon then exited his vehicle wearing a ballistic vest and carrying a firearm.
As he approached Woullard’s vehicle, the two got into a brief argument before Zelidon opened Woullard’s driver-side door and shot him two times, according to detectives.
After the shots were fired, Zelidon reentered his vehicle and waited for police to arrive.
Detectives reported that Zelidon paid Woullard to work at his home a few weeks prior and believed that Woullard had stolen a firearm from him during that time.
The Lakeland Police Department arrested Zelidon and they have charged him with first-degree murder.
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Source: wfla
