Update Saturday Evening – The Polk County Sheriff’s Office has taken Darius Scarlett into custody for Attempted First Degree Murder. According to the PCSO advised Scarlett, 33 yrs old from Lake Wales, turned himself in and admitted to the shooting.
The following is a long exerpt from the PCSO affidavit (It should be noted that this is an unedited, but redacted, report of facts by The Polk County Sheriff’s Office. These facts are up for question and everyone is entitled to question the validity of facts by law enforcement in a court of law. The Daily Ridge does not rewrite these facts as some meanings or interpretations could be in error and change context. We hope readers appreciate being able to read the information and come to their own understanding and conclusions) :
“On May 20th, 2023 at approximately 0948 hours. a call for service was made to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office 911 center in reference to an altercation involving several subjects. The altercation occurred in the roadway in front of REDACTED Lilly St., Lake Wales, Polk County, Florida.
A single gunshot was heard and the victim, later identified as REDACTED, was lying in the street with a gunshot wound to his right temple. The victim was responsive and made statements to the responding patrol Deputies that “Pete” shot him. The victim was transported to Lakeland Regional Health as a trauma patient. The victim is listed as guarded and in critical condition.
A subject identified as Darius Antwan Scarlett, AKA “Pete” arrived at the Polk County Sheriff’s Office located at 1891 Jim Keene Blvd., Winter Haven, Florida at approximately 1152 hours and admitted to Polk County Sheriff’s Office personnel that he shot the victim in this case and had the firearm in his possession.
Responding Deputy Sheriffs secured the car in the front parking lot of the facility and Scarlett was detained. Upon securing Scarlett a black semiauto firearm in a black holster was observed on the right rear passenger seat.
I conducted a sworn post Miranda interview with the suspect Darius Scarlett (Who has an alias of “Pete”) who stated while at the incident location, his cousins Eric and Melvin were gambling and began to engage in a verbal dispute over the gambling game they were playing. The verbal dispute escalated to physical violence when Eric and Melvin began to batter each other. Darius attempted to separate Eric and Melvin when the gunshot wound victim, struck him for getting involved in the altercation. VICTIM then walked away. Darius stated he then went to his vehicle and retrieved his black 9mm Springfield Hellcat handgun. Darius then followed VICTIM to a Grey Ford Mustang stopped in the middle of the roadway on Lilly Street. Darius stated VICTIM began to try to hide from him while he pointed the gun at him. VICTIM was stating “I aint mean it bro”. Darius stated VICTIM at this time was not armed and was not threatening him but was actually trying to hide from him behind another person. Once the person moved, Darius shot VICTIM anyway because he was “in a rage” and then fled the scene. Darius stated he decided to respond to the Sheriff’s Operation Center to turn himself in. Darius confirmed the firearm in the vehicle he arrived in was the same firearm he used to shoot the victim in this case.
Based upon the suspect’s post Miranda confession as well as the victim’s final statement prior to losing consciousness after being shot by the suspect and other evidence gathered during the course of this investigation, I determined probable cause was established to show the suspect violated F.S.S. 782.04 Attempted First Degree Murder with a Weapon.
Probable cause was established to show the suspect violated F.S.S. 790.15(1). Dishcarge of a Firearm in a Public Area, F.S.S. 790.07(2) Use of a Firearm During a Felony Offense, and F.S.S. 918.13 Tampering with Physical Evidence”
——— First Update ———-
Update 12:08pm – Polk County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed a suspect has been arrested in the shooting case this morning on Lilly St. in Lake Wales!
——— Initial Article ————
Lake Wales, Florida – The Polk County Sheriff Office is currently working a shooting of an adult male near Lilly St. in Lake Wales. According to the PCSO the shooting does not appear to be random. The call came in around 9:48 am Saturday morning. The PCSO, Lake Wales Police and the Polk County Fire Rescue were at the scene quickly.
The PCFR was setting up a medical helicopter extraction zone on Lewis Griffith Rd. The PCSO also has a helicopter in the air searching for the shooter.
The investigation ongoing.
