4 people, 3 dogs killed after Florida mobile home intentionally set on fire: Sheriff
(PLANT CITY, Fla.) — Four people and three dogs are dead after a Florida mobile home was intentionally set on fire in what authorities called an “evil” act, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.
The sheriff’s office responded to a call of a fire at a residence in Plant City shortly after midnight on Wednesday.
Fire crews were able to knock down the fire in 20 minutes, though four people were found dead at the scene, authorities said. Three dogs were also killed in the blaze.
A 25-year-old man who lived in the home has been arrested after allegedly admitting to intentionally setting the home on fire.
The suspect, Shawn Gossett, was found near the mobile home after fire crews responded to the blaze, according to Hillsborough County Chief Deputy Joseph Maurer.
Gossett allegedly admitted to detectives that he started the fire by igniting paper towels with a lighter, Maurer said.
“The details of why and his motive are still being worked out as we work through this investigation,” Maurer said during a press briefing on Wednesday. “This is an immense tragedy, and one that was senseless.”
Gossett has been charged with four counts of first-degree murder while engaged in arson, three counts of aggravated cruelty to animals and one count of arson of a dwelling, the sheriff’s office said. It is unclear if he has an attorney who can speak on his behalf.
Gossett is believed to have been friends with the family who lived in the home, Maurer said. The names of the victims, who were all adults, have not yet been released pending family notification, he said.
Maurer said the victims were unable to get out of the home, but it is unclear why.
Their manner and cause of death are pending an autopsy and should be available later Wednesday, Maurer said.
Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister commended the swift actions of the Hillsborough County Fire Rescue that led to an arrest in the incident.
“This is an utterly senseless and horrific crime where four innocent lives were tragically taken due to the evil actions of this man,” Chronister said in a statement.
(ELIZABETHTOWN, Ky.) — Three family members were shot, including two fatally, near a courthouse in Kentucky on Monday before attending a hearing on an emergency protective order, officials said.
The suspect in the incident — who was dating one of the victims — fled the scene and shot himself during a standoff with police, according to the Elizabethtown Police Department.
The shooting unfolded in a parking lot across the street from the Hardin County Justice Center shortly before 9 a.m. ET, officials said.
Three people were shot in an “ambush-type style” attack, Elizabethtown Police Chief Jeremy Thompson said. The suspect — identified as Christopher Elder, 46 — fled the scene in a vehicle.
The suspect’s girlfriend — 37-year-old Erica Riley of Elizabethtown — was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. Her mother, 71-year-old Janet Rylee of Hardinsburg, was also shot and died from her injuries at a hospital, police.
A third person, a man related to the victims, was also shot and remains in stable condition, police said. His name has not been released.
Two children belonging to one of the victims were also at the scene but were unharmed, Thompson said. No additional details on the juveniles were released.
Following a vehicle pursuit in western Kentucky, Elder shot himself during a standoff with police, authorities said. He remains hospitalized in critical condition, police said.
Elizabethtown police have confirmed a shooting near the Hardin County Justice Center. Those in the area should follow guidance from law enforcement. Please join Britainy and me in praying for everyone affected by this senseless act of violence. ^AB
The shooting was an isolated, domestic incident, police said. It occurred prior to a hearing on an emergency protective order those involved were attending at the courthouse, according to Elizabethtown Mayor Jeff Gregory.
“It’s just terrible, it’s a tragedy,” said Gregory, who previously served during a career in law enforcement. “Domestic situations are never predictable. They often end in horrible situations like this. Unfortunately, that happened in downtown Elizabethtown today.”
The investigation is ongoing, police said.
“Please join [my wife] Britainy and me in praying for everyone affected by this senseless act of violence,” Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said in a statement.
(CHESTERFIELD, Va.) — A Virginia man is in critical condition after being shot by a 2-year-old, police said.
According to the Chesterfield County Police Department, the unidentified man was about to leave the house Monday morning and had “placed his handgun on a nearby chair.”
The toddler retrieved it and “accidentally discharged the firearm, shooting the victim,” police said.
Police said the man was airlifted to the hospital in critical condition.
Neither the child nor anyone else in the house was injured, police said.
According to Virginia ABC affiliate WRIC, the victim is the boyfriend of the child’s mother.
(MILWAUKEE) — The family of D’Vontaye Mitchell, who died on June 30 after he was pinned down by four hotel workers outside a Hyatt Regency in Milwaukee, reached a settlement with the hotel on Monday after the workers, whose actions were seen in security video, were charged in his death.
Family attorneys Ben Crump, Will Sulton and B’Ivory Lamarr said in a joint statement on Monday that the Mitchell family’s legal team “entered good faith conversations” with Hyatt “with the goal of helping to achieve resolution for the family of D’Vontaye Mitchell.”
“We are pleased to share that we have reached an amicable settlement,” they added. “The terms of an agreement will be confidential. The parties are pleased that they were able to resolve this matter outside of court and will have no further comment about the settlement.”
A spokesperson for Aimbridge Hospitality – the hotel management firm that manages the Hyatt in Milwaukee – confirmed the settlement to ABC News in a statement on Monday.
“The settlement announced today is a result of the good faith discussions with the representatives of the family of D’Vontaye Mitchell with the goal of bringing the family some comfort as they mourn this tragic loss,” the statement said.
The announcement of the settlement comes after a court official in Milwaukee on Monday denied motions to dismiss charges of felony murder filed against four hotel workers in connection to Mitchell’s death.
The attorneys for the four hotel workers – security guard Todd Alan Erickson, front desk agent Devin W. Johnson-Carson, bellman Herbert T. Williamson, and Brandon Ladaniel Turner, a security guard who was off-duty during the incident – argued during a preliminary hearing on Monday that there was no probable cause for felony murder and asked for the charges to be dismissed.
Milwaukee County Court Commissioner Rosa Barillas ordered the four men to stand trial, saying, “I am going to find that the state has met their burden, find that there is probable cause to believe that there — a felony was committed by Mr. Erickson, Mr. Carson, Mr. Turner and Mr. Williamson, and they are all bound over for trial to the Circuit Court.”
Craig Johnson, an attorney representing Johnson-Carson, told ABC News in a statement on Monday that he and his client “respectfully disagree with the probable cause finding.”
“This situation was a tragedy, but not every tragedy has a villain, and not every tragedy is a crime,” Johnson added. “In this case, we expect to contest the connection between any action of Mr. Johnson-Carson and the death of Mr. Mitchell. Mr. Johnson-Carson was responding to a volatile and potentially dangerous situation that could have threatened the safety of hotel staff and guests. His actions were not criminal, and did not contribute to the death of Mr. Mitchell.”
Meanwhile, attorney Matt Last, who represents Turner, told ABC News in a statement on Monday that they are “disappointed” that the charge against his client was not dismissed.
“We contend the testimony provided in court did not support such a finding,” Last said. “We further believe the testimony showed Mr. Turner was acting in a lawful and appropriate matter and intend on proving this to a jury.”
ABC News reached out to the attorneys representing Williamson and Erickson, but requests for comment were not immediately returned.
According to court records reviewed by ABC News, the defendants have not yet entered pleas in this case and are scheduled to be arraigned on Thursday.
The Milwaukee District Attorney’s Office announced on Aug. 6 that it filed a felony murder charge against each of the four individuals related to Mitchell’s death on June 30 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Milwaukee.
“These charges are based on an extensive review of the evidence collected by the Milwaukee Police Department, the autopsy conducted and the report produced by the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office, and information received from members of the community,” the Milwaukee District Attorney’s Office said in a statement.
The Milwaukee County medical examiner ruled Mitchell’s death was a homicide, the result of restraint asphyxia and toxic effects of cocaine and methamphetamine.
ABC News’ Sabina Ghebremedhin contributed to this report.