Orange County sheriff’s deputies are searching for suspects after gunfire erupted on a suburban street Thursday.
APOPKA, FL — Orange County sheriff’s deputies responded to a suburban neighborhood Thursday afternoon following reports of gunfire that left four adult men suffering from gunshot wounds and sparked an intensive search for suspects.
The shooting occurred shortly before 3:30 p.m. along the 200 block of East 13th Street, a residential corridor located just north of the city’s downtown district. Investigators confirmed that all four victims were transported to local hospitals, with at least two individuals listed in critical condition while the others sustained non-life-threatening injuries. Detectives have categorized the incident as a targeted attack rather than a random act of violence, though no arrests were immediately announced following the initial sweep of the area.
Witnesses reported hearing a rapid succession of shots as several vehicles were seen fleeing the area near the intersection of East 13th Street and Central Avenue. Deputies arrived within minutes to find the four victims positioned near a residential driveway and the adjacent roadway. Emergency medical technicians from the Apopka Fire Department performed trauma care on-site before the men were moved to Orlando Health Orlando Regional Medical Center. “The scene was chaotic as neighbors began coming out of their homes to find several people on the ground,” said Orange County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Michelle Guido. Investigators spent several hours marking dozens of shell casings that littered the pavement and a nearby parked sedan that appeared to have multiple bullet holes in the driver-side door.
Sheriff’s investigators spent the evening canvassing the neighborhood for surveillance footage and interviewing residents who may have seen the suspect vehicle. Officials have not yet released the names or ages of the four men involved, citing the ongoing nature of the criminal investigation and the need to notify all family members. While a specific motive has not been confirmed, authorities stated that preliminary evidence suggests a dispute preceded the gunfire. Detectives are currently looking for a dark-colored SUV that was seen speeding away from the block immediately after the shots were fired. Forensic teams remained on the scene well into Thursday night, utilizing flashlights and 3D scanners to document the trajectory of the rounds that struck nearby structures.
The 200 block of East 13th Street has seen a handful of isolated incidents over the past two years, but neighbors described the area as generally quiet and family-oriented. Local crime data indicates that while property crimes have fluctuated, violent aggravated assaults in this specific sector of Apopka remain relatively infrequent compared to other parts of the county. Public records show that the Orange County Sheriff’s Office has increased patrols in the surrounding district over the last six months following a separate, unrelated shooting three blocks away in late 2025. This latest incident has prompted renewed calls from community leaders for increased lighting and a more permanent police presence in the northern residential zones of the city.
Legal proceedings are currently pending the identification and apprehension of the individuals responsible for the shooting. The State Attorney’s Office has been briefed on the preliminary findings, and charges including attempted second-degree murder and aggravated battery with a firearm are expected once suspects are in custody. A formal canvass of the neighborhood is scheduled to continue through Friday morning as deputies seek additional eyewitness accounts. There are no active court dates set at this time, but officials noted that the investigation is moving quickly as digital evidence from nearby doorbell cameras is processed. The Sheriff’s Office has requested that anyone with private video footage of the street from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. contact the department’s violent crimes unit.
As the sun set on the cordoned-off street, residents gathered behind yellow police tape, expressing concern over the brazenness of the daytime attack. “It sounded like firecrackers at first, but then you realized it was too heavy, too fast,” said Marcus Thorne, who lives two houses down from where the victims were found. Thorne noted that several children were playing in a backyard nearby when the shooting started, highlighting the potential for further tragedy. Another resident, Elena Rodriguez, described seeing one of the victims being helped by a passerby before paramedics arrived. The heavy police presence, including a mobile command unit and K-9 teams, remained visible throughout the night as the neighborhood was restricted to local traffic only during the evidence collection phase.
The four victims remain under medical supervision as of Friday morning, with investigators waiting to conduct formal interviews once their conditions stabilize. Police have not released a description of the shooter beyond the vehicle information. The next official update from the Sheriff’s Office is expected by Friday afternoon.
Author note: Last updated March 6, 2026.