A 15-year-old girl was shot outside a Winter Haven home Sunday night after police say a 19-year-old man who had previously been ordered off the property refused to leave and opened fire when she tried to get him to go. Dorion Crosdale Jr. now faces charges of attempted murder, armed trespassing and possession of a firearm by a delinquent.
Winter Haven officers were called to a residence on Avenue K NE at approximately 10:36 p.m. Sunday after receiving a report that someone had been shot, according to Daily Ridge. When officers arrived, they found the girl standing near the roadway with a single gunshot wound. Emergency crews rushed her to Lakeland Regional Health, where she was treated for injuries police described as non-life-threatening.
Witnesses Describe Confrontation at the Window
Investigators say witnesses reported that Crosdale had entered the property and begun banging on a window of the residence, according to the same account. Crosdale had previously been in a relationship with one of the occupants of the home and had already been formally trespassed from the property, meaning he'd been warned in writing to stay away. Despite that warning, police say he showed up again Sunday night and refused to leave when confronted.
That's when the 15-year-old girl stepped outside in an attempt to get him to go, according to witnesses cited in the report. Police allege Crosdale then produced a handgun and fired a single round, striking the teenager. As Tampa Free Press reported, Crosdale fled the scene on foot immediately after the shooting.
Suspect Found Blocks Away, Booked on Multiple Felonies
Officers located Crosdale a short time later on Avenue J NE and took him into custody without further incident, per the same account. He was booked on charges of attempted murder, armed trespassing and possession of a firearm by a delinquent. Court records cited in the report show Crosdale was previously adjudicated delinquent on February 18, 2021, following a second conviction for battery.
That prior delinquency finding carries legal weight beyond his criminal history. Under Florida law, it is unlawful for a person under 24 who has been found to have committed a delinquent act that would be a felony if committed by an adult to possess a firearm, a violation classified as a second-degree felony, according to the Florida Legislature. Separately, trespassing on property other than a structure or conveyance while armed with a firearm or dangerous weapon is a third-degree felony under state law, per the same legislative source.
Victim's Identity Still Withheld
Police have not released the identity of the 15-year-old victim or provided an updated condition on her recovery beyond the initial non-life-threatening description, according to FOX 13 News. No further details on her condition have surfaced since the shooting Sunday night.
