INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Deputies continue to investigate a Sunday afternoon shooting in south Vero Beach that left one person fatally wounded.
The injured person was taken to a hospital, where the individual was pronounced dead, Indian River County Sheriff Eric Flowers said in a YouTube video update. Details on the person’s identity, age and gender were not immediately released.
Sheriff’s officials said they were conducting a homicide investigation. The suspected shooter – who deputies initially thought was barricaded in a residence – was not in custody late Sunday.
“Our detectives are on scene. Our crime scene folks are on scene. We’re following up on leads. We have family and friends (of the victim) that we’re talking to right now,” Flowers said. “We’ll keep you updated on this case as more information comes in.”
Deputies closed a portion of 5th Street Southwest after they believed the suspected shooter had barricaded themselves in a residence. The roadway reopened by 8 p.m. Sunday after deputies discovered there was nobody in the home.
Deputies responded to reports of a shooting about 3:45 p.m. Sunday in the 4300 block of 5th Street Southwest, Flowers said. The location is north of Oslo Road.
Deputies went to the area and found a person with a gunshot wound, Flowers said. Indian River County Fire Rescue crews took the individual to the hospital.
Flowers said deputies then went to the open door of a residence because they thought they heard someone inside. It was unclear if the shooting happened in the home or outside.
The sheriff’s SWAT team searched the residence, but found nobody in the home, Flowers said.
Several sheriff’s patrol vehicles and a fire rescue ambulance were at the scene late Sunday. It was unclear how long deputies planned to stay in the area.
Deputies in tactical gear surrounded the neighborhood. Several unidentified people could be seen hugging and crying not far from the site.
No further details were immediately available.
Photos by Nick Samuel
