SARASOTA, Fla. (AP) — Investigators in Florida say a double homicide discovered during a well-being check was linked to a shooting rampage hours later in a gated community on the other side of the state, which left five more people dead including the suspected shooter.

The suspect had a romantic relationship with one of the Fort Lauderdale victims, who was connected to the victims in the second shooting in Sarasota, but Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office detectives released few other details.

kAm“%96 DFDA64E’D >@E:G2E:@? 7@C E2C86E:?8 E96 $2C2D@E2 G:4E:>D 😀 F?@H?[” E96 D96C:77’D @77:46 D2:5 😕 2 DE2E6>6?E (65?6D52J]k^Am

kAmu@CE {2F56C52=6 😀 >@C6 E92? a__ >:=6D Wba_ <:=@>6E6CDX 2H2J 7C@> $2C2D@E2[ @? E96 @AA@D:E6 D:56 @7 u=@C:52VD >2:? A6?:?DF=2]k^Am

kAmu@CE {2F56C52=6 A@=:46 @77:46CD C646:G65 2 42== %F6D52J 7@C 2 H6==\36:?8 4964< 2?5 7@F?5 EH@ A6@A=6 5625 :?D:56 2 9@>6[ s6E64E:G6 z6CC: w286CEJ D2:5 😕 2? 6>2:= (65?6D52J]k^Am

kAm“!C6=:>:?2CJ :?G6DE:82E:@? :?5:42E6D E92E E9:D 😀 2? :D@=2E65 :?4:56?E] s6E64E:G6D 5@ ?@E 36=:6G6 E96C6 😀 2?J E9C62E E@ E96 =@42= AF3=:4[” w286CEJ D2:5]k^Am

kAmp44@C5:?8 E@ E96 $2C2D@E2 r@F?EJ $96C:77’D ~77:46[ 56AFE:6D H6C6 5:C64E65 E@ 2 9@>6 😕 2 82E65 4@>>F?:EJ 😕 E96 4:EJ 3J 2 h“ 42==] %96J 7@F?5 2 H@F?565 >2? 😕 E96 7C@?E J2C5 H9@ 5:65 2 D9@CE E:>6 =2E6C] x?D:56 E96 9@FD6[ 56AFE:6D 7@F?5 EH@ >6? 2?5 EH@ H@>6?[ 2== 5625[ :?4=F5:?8 E96 DFDA64E]k^Am

kAm$2C2D@E2 r@F?EJ 56E64E:G6D H6C6 4@?E24E65 3J 56E64E:G6D 😕 u@CE {2F56C52=6 H9@ D2:5 E96J 36=:6G65 E96 42D6D H6C6 =:?<65 2?5 AC@G:565 :?7@C>2E:@? 23@FE E96 DFDA64EVD G69:4=6[ H9:49 H2D 7@F?5 😕 E96 $2C2D@E2 ?6:893@C9@@5]k^Am

kAm’:56@ 7@@E286 82E96C65 7C@> ?6:893@CD 2?5 E96 w~p D9@H65 E96 DFDA64EVD G69:4=6 6?E6C:?8 E96 $2C2D@E2 ?6:893@C9@@5 7@==@H65 3J E96 D@F?5 @7 8F?7:C6 2 D9@CE E:>6 =2E6C] |@C6 E92? 2 92=7 9@FC =2E6C[ E96 >2? H9@ H2D 7@F?5 H@F?565 😕 E96 7C@?E J2C5 😀 D66? @? G:56@ 5C:G:?8 :?E@ E96 ?6:893@C9@@5[ 2AAC@249:?8 E96 7C@?E 5@@C @7 E96 9@FD6 2?5 E96? 36:?8 D9@E[ E96 D96C:77VD @77:46 D2:5]k^Am

kAm}@ @E96C A6@A=6 H6C6 D66? 2AAC@249:?8 E96 9@>6 F?E:= 56AFE:6D 2CC:G65[ 244@C5:?8 E@ E96 D96C:77VD @77:46]k^Am

Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.