OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. — A 26-year-old man was arrested in connection with a deadly Christmas shooting at a hookah lounge near Kissimmee, Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez announced during a Thursday news conference.
▶ WATCH CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS
Investigators were called shortly after 4:45 a.m. Dec. 25 to the shooting at Lungo Café on Vineland Road near North Poinciana Boulevard.
Lopez said Gabriel Alberto Correa got into an argument with a worker and fired rounds at the front of the bar before driving away.
“The guy leaves and started shooting at the business,” he said. “He actually shot at the business.”
Read: Man found shot and killed Christmas morning at a café in Osceola County
Lopez said it is unknown why 911 was not immediately called, but he said it might have been due to the volume of the music being played at the lounge.
Lopez said the Correa returned to the parking lot and shot Terrell Williams once while he was standing by his car door.
Read: Osceola County deputies won’t be charged in deadly shooting outside Target near Kissimmee
He said Williams ran back to the business to seek help, but he collapsed and died.
Correa then fled the scene a second time, Lopez said.
He said detectives were able to identify Correa through surveillance video of the shooting and other evidence that was left at the scene.
See the full news conference below:
Lopez said Correa was arrested in Polk County and admitted to detectives his involvement in the shooting. He said he met with an attorney after seeing a flyer about the shooting.
Correa was booked into the Osceola County Jail on charges including murder.
Diane Batista told Channel 9 that she was one of Williams’ best friends.
“He was such a good person. He didn’t deserve to go out like that,” she said. “He took a piece of me with him.”
See a map of the scene below:
Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
©2023 Cox Media Group