Lakeland Business Partners Shoot, Kill One Another During Dispute

LAKELAND, FL — The Polk County Sheriff's Office is investigating a shooting that resulted in the deaths of two business partners.

The shooting occurred at 3:10 p.m. Thursday at a business at 3135 U.S. 92 E near Fish Hatchery Road in unincorporated Lakeland.

According to the sheriff's office, business partners 31-year-old Akeido Bennett of Kissimmee and 39-year-old Xavier Figueroa of Kissimmee shot one another during an ongoing dispute. Bennett died at the scene. Figueroa attempted to flee from the business in his truck but died as a result of his gunshot wound.

"This was an avoidable tragedy stemming from a disagreement between business partners," Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said. "We all have an obligation to our friends, our families and society at large to talk things out instead of turning to violence. These men would still be alive today, and their families would not be grieving, had they been able to work out their differences civilly."