Infant Among 4 Dead In Lakeland Shooting, Suspect In Custody

LAKELAND, FL — Four people, including one infant, were killed in a shooting inside a home in Lakeland early Sunday morning, according to several reports. An 11-year-old girl was also shot and hospitalized, while another child at the home was found later nearby and not hurt.

The infant was three months old, and was being held by his 33-year-old mother, who was also killed.

The four were shot by a man who just after attacked Polk County deputies, according to a report from WFLA that cited Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd. The man has been taken into custody pending charges, according to WFLA and WTSP.

Judd said 33-year-old Bryan Riley appeared to be suffering from mental health issues and had been slowly unraveling for weeks, repeatedly telling his girlfriend that he could communicate directly with God, according to The Associated Press.

Riley, who served as a sharp shooter in both Iraq and Afghanistan, seemingly targeted the family at random, Judd said during a press conference Sunday.

“Prior to this morning, this guy was a war hero. He fought for his country in Afghanistan and Iraq,” said Judd. “And this morning he’s a cold-blooded killer.”

A man and two women were the other fatal victims, WTSP was among the first to report. One of the women was from a neighboring home on North Socrum Loop Road between Kent Road and Fulton Greene Road.

A helicopter responding to the scene landed on the football field at the nearby Lake Gibson High School, according to WFLA.

The shooter exchanged gunfire with police until he surrendered, WTSP reported.

The Associated Press contributed reporting.