GIFFORD — The Indian River County has arrested a 17-year-old in connection to Wednesday’s Gifford shooting near an apartment building on 34th Court. The teen faces misdemeanor charges and has not been publicly identified.
The juvenile faces charges of discharging a firearm in public, improper exhibition of a weapon, and possession of a firearm by a minor. The investigation is still ongoing and additional charges, including the possibility of one or more felonies, may be forthcoming, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
The juvenile arrestee is not one of the subjects who were struck by gunfire on Wednesday but he is believed to have been in the yard or front porch area, near the two victims, when he discharged the firearm.
The juvenile was identified by a witness as shooting as he was running away from the residence on 34th Court. He was also observed on surveillance video attempting to conceal an item in his pants as he entered a nearby convenient store.
Detectives are still trying to identify and locate a subject who reportedly shot from a car parked across from the residence on 34th Court. A witness reported that the subject in the car only shot after he was fired upon from a subject in the yard of the 34th Court home.
It is the subject who shot from the car who is believed to have struck the two victims who were in the yard across the street from the convenient store where the car was parked, the Sheriff’s Office said.
The investigation is continuing and anyone with information about the case is asked to contact the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office at 772-978-6124 or 772-978-6240. Those wishing to remain anonymous and be eligible for a reward up to $1,000, can provide information through Treasure Coast Crime Stoppers at 1-800-273-8477 or www.tcwatch.org.
Posted 11:51 a.m. April 11
GIFFORD — The Indian River County Sheriff’s Office has identified a person of interest believed to have information regarding the shooting that took place Wednesday morning in the area of 34th Court and 45th Street.
Authorities have not released the person’s identity to the public, nor has it released the identities of other possible shooters, citing the ongoing nature of the investigation.
The Sheriff’s Office said witnesses indicated the person of interest may have been the initial shooter involved, which left two people injured. The victims each received a single gunshot wound to their legs.
Though initial reports to investigators indicated that the shooter was returning fire, the Sheriff’s Office is still working to determine the validity of the claims.
While this incident occurred in the same area as other recent shootings, the investigation to this point has not shown a connection and detectives have uncovered some information that leads them to believe the two incidents are not related and the location is simply a coincidence.
Posted 3:40 p.m. April 10
GIFFORD — The two people shot during an incident in Gifford Wednesday morning have been identified as 20-year-old Jacob Cummings and 26-year-old Walter Taskie. They have been taken to Indian River Medical Center were they are being treated for single gunshot wounds to their legs.
The Sheriff’s Office responded to a call reference a shooting around 10:30 a.m. Wednesday in the area of the 4400 block of 34th Court.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, Cummings and Taskie separately arrived at the apartment on 34th Court and were in the yard near the front porch when they were shot.
The shooter, according to a witness statement to investigators, the shots were fired by a person in or near a vehicle in the parking lot of a nearby convenience store.
The witness told authorities that the shooter was returning fire that was coming from the area of the apartment. Investigators found evidence to support the witness’s statement.
The Sheriff’s Office has not yet released suspect information, but will as the information becomes available.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Steve Stoll at (772) 978-6119 or (772) 978-6124. Those wishing to remain anonymous and be eligible for a reward up to $1,000, can provide information through Treasure Coast Crime Stoppers at 1-800-273-8477 or www.tcwatch.org. Refer to Indian River County Sheriff’s Office case number 2013-55799.
Posted 11:16 a.m. April 10
INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — The Indian River County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a shooting in the Gifford area that left two people with gunshot wounds.
Authorities received reports of a shooting in the area of 45th Street and 34th Avenue Wednesday morning and have responded to the scene.
A male victim was transported to the Indian River Medical Center by private vehicle, according to Sheriff’s spokesman Sgt. Thomas Raulen. Further details on the victim – age, extent of injuries – were not immediately known.
The Sheriff’s Office also received a call reference a second person who was shot. That male sustained a wound to the leg and EMS transported him to the hospital for treatment. Raulen said the subject’s injury is considered non-life threatening.
“It is likely they were related,” Raulen said of the shootings due to the close timeframe.
Dodgertown Elementary, Gifford Middle School and the Alternative Learning Center were placed on lock-down as a precaution, Raulen said. The lock-down has since been lifted.
This article will be updated as more information becomes available.
