LAKELAND, Fla. – Citing preliminary information, investigators say it appears a man who shot two other people Thursday in Lakeland, killing one of them, was acting in defense.
The shooting occurred around 9:30 p.m. at Cali Rose 15 Kitchen along Ariana Street, the Lakeland Police Department said in a news release.
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Of the two people who were shot, 28-year-old Jesse Banks, of Lakeland, was pronounced dead after being taken to a hospital, police said. The other person — identified as Nicholas Lue, 26, of West Palm Beach — was stabilized and is expected to recover, the release states.
Initial witness statements and evidence collected up to that point indicated Banks and Lue initiated an argument with Tre D ‘Shon Huntly, 24, of Lakeland, near the business, according to the release. Banks allegedly struck Huntly on the head with his fist, prompting a bystander just past the front door to step in and open the door in Huntly’s defense, police said.
Banks and Lue were then said to have turned their attention toward the bystander, producing a handgun and pointing it at him, according to the release. Though the news release doesn’t specify whether it was Banks or Lue who allegedly pointed the gun at the bystander, it’s later stated that “Banks was also found to be in possession of a handgun.”
It was at this time that Huntly pulled out a handgun and shot several times at Banks and Lue, police said, adding “it appears Tre D’Shon Huntly was acting in defense.”
No charges had been filed at the time of this report.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact Detective Neal Robertson at 863-834-6971 or neal.robertson@lakelandgov.net.
