What started as a late-night argument outside Wally’s Poolhall in Lakeland turned deadly early Thursday when a dispute between two patrons erupted into gunfire in the parking lot. Responding officers found a 48-year-old man gravely wounded and rushed him to Lakeland Regional Health, where he later died. The Lakeland Police Department has launched an active homicide investigation.
According to the Tampa Free Press, the shooting unfolded around 12:35 a.m. yesterday in the parking lot of Wally’s Poolhall. The outlet identifies the victim as 48-year-old Steven Michael Magee and reports that witnesses said an argument began between two patrons before shots were fired.
What investigators say
Investigators told reporters that one person pulled a handgun and opened fire, and that Magee drew his own weapon and returned fire. According to details provided to the Tampa Free Press, Magee was hit by incoming rounds during the exchange. As the outlet notes, officers arriving on the scene attempted immediate life-saving measures
before he was taken to the hospital.
Police ask for tips
Lakeland detectives are still looking for the other person involved in the shootout and are asking anyone with information to contact Detective Jaime Smith at 863-834-8981 or [email protected]. No arrests or charges had been announced as of Thursday, and the investigation remains active.
Context: recent late-night violence
The killing outside Wally’s adds to a troubling run of late-night parking-lot shootings in Lakeland. Earlier this month, a deadly parking-lot shooting at the Jade Fox Lounge also left a man dead, and local coverage shows detectives are still trying to untangle multiple recent cases across the city.
What happens next
Detectives will continue reviewing witness statements, surveillance footage and ballistic evidence to determine exactly what led up to the gunfire and whether criminal charges will be filed. The medical examiner will formally confirm the cause and manner of Magee’s death. This story will be updated as the Lakeland Police Department releases more information.
