Apopka man shot while taking out trash

Orange County deputies investigate shooting spree

APOPKA, Fla. – Crime tape, bullet holes and flames marked an end to a violent night in south Apopka that put innocent people in harm's way, including a man who was shot in the buttocks while taking out his trash.

Gunshots were heard throughout the streets Tuesday night just after 11 p.m. as a van chased down four men, Orange County sheriff's deputies said.

The shootings happened in the area of 17th Street, 15th Street and Central Avenue in Apopka, and minutes later, the van was found ablaze a few miles away.

Orange County sheriff's deputies say someone in a stolen green minivan was shooting at the four men in the area of 15th Street and Central.

Deputies say a man taking out his trash at the time was shot in the rear end as bullets were flying through his neighborhood.

"We got more calls for shots being fired two streets down.  When we got there, we found cars shot up and there were rounds that hit some homes," said Lt. Paul Hopkins with the Orange County Sheriff's Office.

A few blocks over, a woman's car and home were shot. The woman was inside her home at the time but was not hurt. She was visibly upset and taken to the hospital to be treated for chest pains.

Soon after ,deputies found the suspect's van engulfed in flames not far from the shooting scenes on Old Apopka Road.

"The car we found was on fire. It was stolen out of Orange County. We are working to find out if all three crime scenes are related and hopefully that will help us to find out who did this," Hopkins said.

Deputies said they have no suspect information and plan to interview the victim at Orlando Regional Medical Center later Wednesday.