LAND O' LAKES, Fla. — Three people, including a 6-year-old, were rushed to the hospital early Friday morning after a home invasion and shooting in Land O' Lakes, according to the Pasco County Sheriff's Office.
It happened around 5 a.m. in the Lake Padgett area of Land O' Lakes. Deputies said their investigation so far indicates four people forced their way into the home and shot a 60-year-old man, a 38-year-old woman and a 6-year-old girl.
During a news conference Friday, Sheriff Chris Nocco said the shooting looked like "a targeted hit." The suspected shooters were looking for the main resident of the house, who was not at home at the time.
The sheriff said the main resident had a fight at an adult establishment last week in Tampa and then after that was in a "road rage" incident with the same people.
"We believe there is a correlation between last week's incident and this morning's shooting," the sheriff said.
He said around 4:40 a.m., the main resident's 60-year-old father came to the house and saw four people outside the home. The sheriff said the 60-year-old got into a confrontation with these individuals and they shot him in the head.
"So, after that, those four people ... those four suspects go into the house. They start screaming, looking for the main resident of the house, the one who is involved in the flight last week."
The sheriff said they enter the master bedroom where the main resident's 38-year-old girlfriend and their 6-year-old daughter were sleeping together. The sheriff said both were also shot in the head.
Deputies were able to speak with the 60-year-old man and were able to get preliminary information before he was taken to the hospital, Sheriff Nocco detailed.
The main resident arrived shortly after the deputies did, Nocco said.
All three victims are in critical condition and no arrests have been made, but the sheriff's office is asking if anyone knows anything to come forward.
On Saturday, the sheriff's office sent out an update with a video that shows an SUV possibly used in the incident. The make and model of the SUV are unknown.
"We want to find who did this. For that 6-year-old daughter. That's what I go back to. How horrible is it? How evil must you be that you're shooting innocent people in their bed while their sleeping? And to shoot a 6-year-old. That 6-year-old had nothing to do with anything," Sheriff Nocco said in part.
"We as a law enforcement agency have a very tough job. We can't do this without our community That's why we're asking for any assistance. Anybody who knows anything, please let us know."
Editor's note: The Pasco County Sheriff's Office said in a previous release that the three people shot had "non-life-threatening" injuries. They have since released new information indicating all three people are in "critical" condition.