SANFORD, Fla. – New details are emerging about a deadly double shooting in Sanford’s historic Goldsboro neighborhood early Sunday morning from the witnesses who called 911 for help.
Sanford police confirmed that two people were shot just blocks apart. One of them, 32-year-old Deion Fields, was killed. Since Sunday, News 6 has been working to learn more about a person of interest with a gun that police found in the area and what led to the violence.
What witnesses heard, what witnesses saw
The first 911 call came in at approximately 3:20 a.m. on June 7 near Historic Goldsboro Boulevard and Mangoustine Avenue. In the recordings, the fear and confusion of that night come through on the line to dispatch.
“It was like multiple gunshots,” one caller said, “and he was right here at the green store where we were.”
As dispatchers worked to gather information, witnesses said they had no answers about who fired the shots.
“Is the assailant still nearby?” a dispatcher asked.
“We don’t know who shot him. We don’t know where it came from,” the caller responded.
A second shooting, just blocks away
While officers were still responding to the first call, a second 911 call came in reporting another shooting just blocks away at Historic Goldsboro Boulevard and Pomegranate Avenue.
Witnesses at that second scene told dispatchers they saw a man and carrying a gun.
“He came up to me; he said he was gonna come closer, he said, um, ‘Yo.’ And he’s like, ‘Oh, somebody set me up,’” one witness recounted. “He was acting weird out there.”
Another witness described watching a black SUV jump a curb before the man inside got out armed.
“There was a black SUV that I guess he hit a curb and blew his tires out, and he got out with a gun,” the caller said. “I was just riding by and happened to see it all.”
Person of interest found; investigation ongoing
Investigators located a person of interest near the scene who was found with a firearm and was taken to a local hospital for mental health concerns. News 6 asked Sanford police for an update on that person and the broader investigation Thursday. Police say they hope to have an update to share soon.
At this time, police say it is unknown whether the two shootings are connected, but they believe the incidents are isolated and that there is no immediate danger to the public.
Sanford Police Chief Cecil Smith called on the community to help bring answers.
“Our investigators are still working diligently to understand what happened to cause one young man to lose his life and send another to the hospital,” Smith said. “We need our community to stand together with us and say that gun violence and crimes associated with it will not be tolerated. We believe there were witnesses who saw something. We encourage them to come forward and work with us to take these violent individuals off our streets.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Sanford Police Department or Crimeline at 800-423-8477 or visit www.crimeline.org. All calls to Crimeline remain anonymous.