A violent encounter in Lakeland on Monday has left two dead, with six individuals now in custody, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd announced. In an event described by Sheriff Judd as "teenagers and guns and drugs" leading to "murder and death and destruction," a botched robbery attempt led to a shootout and a car crash, which resulted in the deaths of 19-year-old drug dealer Davin Boutwell and 38-year-old Nathaniel Jones, Jr., a bystander. The announcement was reported on by news outlets including WFLA and WTSP.
The incident stemmed from a planned robbery, with suspects, including four adults and two minors, attempting to rob Boutwell during what was meant to be a drug transaction. According to the Polk County Sheriff's Office, when Boutwell was shot, he lost control of his vehicle, which subsequently hit Jones, Jr., who was listening to gospel music on his bike, as reported by FOX13. Jones was pronounced dead at the scene along with Boutwell. Surveillance video played at a news conference reportedly showed three of the suspects armed and moving towards a wooded area moments before the crash.
Those arrested include 23-year-old Kristian Xavier Guzman, identified by Judd as the "mastermind" behind the robbery. Guzman, alongside the minors and other adults, faces a spate of charges ranging from first-degree murder to conspiracy to commit armed robbery. Guzman's intentions of roping in the minors due to their age and the potential for lighter sentences were highlighted by Judd, shedding light on the calculated nature of the crime. In a statement obtained by WFLA, Judd called the collision of drugs, youth, and weaponry "a deadly cocktail."
Freddie Stevenson, a transformational speaker and author from Lakeland, weighed in on the broader issue of youth and crime in the area. He speaks with troubled youth about overcoming adversity and offers an alternative path to success that doesn't involve the street life so many know too well. Stevenson told FOX13, "These kids don't know that there are people making money legitimately, and they're making way more than you see on the streets." His bestselling book "Trials to Triumph" and accompanying documentary echo these sentiments and serve as inspirational tools for the youth he mentors.
In the wake of the arrests, Sheriff Judd has stated his intention to ask prosecutors to charge all the suspects as adults, a move that underscores the severity of the incident. The sheriff called the double murder a "horrible thing" that should've never happened, punctuating the senselessness of the event with a somber reminder: "So riddle me this, how much money and drugs did the bad guys get? Zero. Nothing. They killed two people. They've got a lifetime they're facing in prison over a failed robbery that I'm convinced he (Guzman) wanted the youngsters to commit," Judd shared with FOX13.
