SARASOTA, Fla. — The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) said five people are dead after a shooting in a Sarasota neighborhood, including a suspect authorities say may be connected to a double homicide in Fort Lauderdale.
Deputies released the identities of the four victims and the suspect on Wednesday:
49-year-old woman, Olga Greinert66-year-old woman, Florita Stolyar61-year-old man, Anatoly Ioffe39-year-old man, Yaroslav Blyudoy
The suspect is identified as 51-year-old Russell Kot.
“Based on preliminary information, we know that the suspect had been in a previous romantic relationship with one of the victims in Fort Lauderdale,” SCSO stated in a news release. “That victim was connected to the victims in Sarasota. The suspect’s motivation for targeting the Sarasota victims is unknown.”
Authorities identified the Fort Lauderdale victims as 46-year-old Larisa Blyudaya and 18-year-old Ben Azivov. Both are residents of the city.
WATCH: Mary O’Connell’s full report
5 dead in Sarasota shooting ID’d, linked to Ft. Lauderdale double homicide: SCSO
SCSO said officials received a 911 call reporting a man had been shot at a residence in the Amberlea neighborhood near Proctor and McIntosh Roads at around 12:24 p.m. on Feb. 10.
Tampa Bay reporters Annette Gutierrez, Julie Salomone, Keely McCormick and Mary O’Connell have been covering the story since police responded to the home in Sarasota.
Deputies arrived at the scene and found neighbors in the front yard performing CPR on the man, who was pronounced dead shortly after authorities arrived.
Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office
SCSO said neighbors told deputies the man’s wife may be inside the house, and when deputies entered the residence, they found four additional adult victims, two men and two women, according to the report.
While attempting to identify the victims and potential suspect, SCSO said detectives received information from the Fort Lauderdale Police Department (FPLD) advising they were working a double homicide and believed this shooting in Sarasota was related to their investigation.
FPLD gave their suspect’s vehicle information and advised that after the homicide they were investigating, the vehicle was seen on camera traveling northbound through Punta Gorda before the Sarasota homicide, according to officials.
Fort Lauderdale police officers received a well-being check call around 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday in the 500 block of Northeast 15th Avenue. Police arrived and found two adult victims who were deceased inside the home, according to FLPD.
SCSO said detectives worked with Amberlea HOA representatives and neighbors to get video footage, which showed the suspect’s vehicle entering the Amberlea neighborhood at around 11:01 a.m. on Feb. 10 and captured the sound of gunfire shortly after.
The report said approximately 37 minutes later, the male victim, who was found in the front lawn, was seen on camera entering the neighborhood in his vehicle.
The victim then approached the front door, where he was shot, and no one else was observed entering or exiting the residence until deputies arrived, according to SCSO.
Officials said the suspect was among the deceased inside the residence and all the victims have been identified.
Based on preliminary information, SCSO said the suspect had been in a previous romantic relationship with one of the victims in the Fort Lauderdale homicides.
The Fort Lauderdale homicide victim was connected to the victims in Sarasota, but the suspect’s motivation for targeting the Sarasota victims is unknown, per the report.
SCSO said the names of those involved have not been released because deputies are still making next of kin notifications.
Tampa Bay 28’s Annette Gutierrez was on the scene on Tuesday, where SCSO was investigating the shooting at 4822 Fallcrest Cir. in Sarasota.
WATCH: Annette Gutierrez’s report
No survivors: SCSO says multiple victims after shooting at Sarasota home
Officials also held a news conference after the incident.
WATCH: SCSO News Conference
SCSO News Conference
Both investigations are still active.
This is a developing story. Tampa Bay 28 will provide more details as they become available.
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