Two men in Florida, one of them Hispanic, died after shooting each other in the middle of a dispute related to the business they both shared.
The incident was reported Thursday afternoon at the establishment located at 3135 US 92 East, in Lakeland.
Local media reports indicate that while the Polk County Sheriff’s Office did not release the name of the location, a Google search turned up the name “Service On Site,” an auto service space.
The deceased were identified as Akeido Bennett, 31, and Xavier Figueroa, 39.
Bennett allegedly died at the scene, while Figueroa died after he tried to leave the scene in a truck.
“This is a tragedy that could have been prevented stemming from a disagreement between business partners,” said Grady Judd, county sheriff, as quoted by media such as the Orlando Sentinel and WESH television.
“All of us have an obligation to our friends, family and society in general to speak things up instead of opting for violence. These men would be alive today, and their families would not be grieving, if they had been willing to work out their differences in a civil way,” Judd said.
It is not clear what caused the dispute.
The investigation of the case continues.