1 Dead, 2 Critically Injured In Shooting At Home In Poinciana: Video

POINCIANA, FL — Detectives are investigating a shooting Thursday night that left one person dead, two people with life-threatening injuries and detectives trying to sort out exactly what transpired.

Around 4:15 p.m., Polk County sheriff's deputies were called to Sawfish Drive in Poinciana for a shooting and a car crash.

They arrived to find "absolute mayhem," Sheriff Grady Judd said. "The information I'm about to give you is as clear as mud. It will take us awhile to unravel this event."

What detectives have determined at this point is a group of friends, all members of the same gang, were gathered in the front yard of a home on Sawfish Drive when a mutual gang member, Derek “Ice” Bacote, 33, called and demanded to meet one of the men so they could “fight” over a woman they both dated.

When the gang member refused to meet with Bacote, Judd said he showed up at the home on Sawfish Drive where he punched one of the men in the face and then pulled out a gun.

In response, another man ran into the garage and retrieved a gun. Judd said detectives aren't sure who fired first but believe it was the man who retrieved the gun from the garage.

During the ensuing gun battle, Bacote turned toward a white Nissan and fired multiple rounds into the car. The engine was running and the 30-year-old driver lost control after being shot and crashed into the mailbox of the house next door, crossed the street and drove through a fence.

By the time deputies arrived, the driver had gotten out of the car and was standing in the street with multiple gunshot wounds including one to his face. The bullet went through his brain and out the back of his head, Judd said.

"He's begging, 'Please don't let me die,' and our deputies did everything they could to keep him from dying," Judd said. "He's made it so far but he's very, very, very critical and unstable at a trauma center in Osceola County."

A 19-year-old woman who was a passenger in the car was also shot in the face. Judd said the bullet went into one side of her jaw and out the other side.

Both were airlifted to the hospital. Judd said the 19-year-old is in critical condition but is expected to survive.

Meanwhile, deputies found Bacote dead on the ground from gunshot wounds fired by the man who retrieved the gun from the garage. That man fled the scene before deputies arrived but was later located in Osceola County.

"He had the legal right to protect himself and others from Derek but he claims he didn't shoot anybody," Judd said. "It could be that he won't admit it because he's a felon even though he was legitimately standing his ground."

The one bright spot was four children inside the home, ages 3, 4, 9, and 12 years old, were unharmed. Bacote pulled out his gun, the homeowner ran into the house to protect the children.

The gunfight followed another call to the same home on Sunday that Judd said is unrelated to the shootings.

The owner of the house was entertaining some of the same friends when one of the guests, Philip Vasquez, 32, of Haines City began messing with the homeowner's handgun, unlocking it and racking the slide. The homeowner asked Vasquez to leave, at which time Vasquez beat up the homeowner and stole the handgun, a shotgun, a television, cash and a debit card.

Judd said the homeowner didn't file a report with the sheriff's office, but on Monday he began feeling sick and dizzy due to the beating and went to the hospital. It was then that he reported the beating.

Polk deputies went to Vasquez' mobile home in Haines City. Vasquez denied the allegations about beating up the other man and stealing from him but he did tell detectives that he and the victim were “having problems” due to a relationship with a woman.

While deputies were interviewing Vasquez, he became increasingly angry and combative, making threats against law enforcement and telling them they were “going to have to kill him," according to the sheriff's office.

Vasquez repeatedly attempted to go inside the mobile home and eventually got away from deputies and locked himself inside. The deputies contacted his father who was able to convince Vasquez to come out and surrender.

Vasquez was taken into custody and charged with:

• Felony armed burglary with an assault
• Three counts of resisting arrest
• Three counts of threatening a public official

Vasquez has a prior conviction for battery on a law enforcement officer in 2016. During a search of his mobile home, deputies found the victim’s stolen loaded shotgun and filed additional charges of:

• Felony possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
• Felony possession of ammunition by a convicted felon

Vasquez remains in the Polk County Jail with no bond.