WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (WFLA) — A 20-year-old man was arrested after Winter Haven police said a gun he was holding fired and hit and killed a man on Tuesday afternoon.
Police said they were called to 218 Avenue F Southeast around 3:20 p.m. after receiving a 911 call about a man suffering from a gunshot wound. When officers arrived, they said they immediately began life-saving measures on the victim. The man was taken to a hospital, where he died.
Investigators said they conducted a safety sweep of the area since one of the residents, 20-year-old Valan Tyner said he thought the shot came from outside of the home. Investigators said they quickly learned there were no signs of a projectile entering the house from outside and obtained a search warrant for the home.
Four other people who were inside the home said they were either on the phone or asleep in another room when they heard a “loud pop” followed by seeing Tyner carrying the victim out of a bedroom and into the living room, according to police.
Investigators said they found evidence of the victim being shot inside the bedroom. They also found a gun on the bed with one spent shell casing.
During an interview with investigators, Tyner claimed he was cleaning the gun and it “went off.” However, investigators said they did not find any cleaning supplies inside the room where Tyner said he was cleaning the gun.
Tyner was arrested and charged with manslaughter with a weapon. He was booked into the Polk County Jail.
“This is a tragic incident that changed the course of many lives,” said Police Chief David Brannan. “We have a young man deceased, his family grieving and another young man facing serious charges for an act that appears to be negligence in the handling of a firearm. Our thoughts and prayers are with all involved.”