OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. — The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office is asking for help finding a man wanted for his role in a deadly shooting in the parking lot of a local nightclub.
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In the early-morning hours of November 14, Osceola County deputies responded to reports of a shooting at 3262 Oxford Drive in Kissimmee.
Deputies arrived to find the victim, later identified as Joshua Daniel Mitchell, in a parking lot with a single gunshot wound.
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Mitchell was taken to a local hospital for treatment but later died from his injuries.
According to an incident report from the sheriff’s office, investigators interviewed a witness who had spent the evening with Mitchell all the way up until the shooting occurred.
The witness told deputies they were hanging out in the parking lot of LUNGO Lounge with two men later identified as 31-year-old Christopher Garrett and 28-year-old Joshua Franceschi when Mitchell was shot.
According to the report, the entire sequence of events leading up to the shooting was captured on high-quality surveillance video from a neighboring business that also had audio available.
Investigators say the video shows everything happening as the witness described, with Mitchell seemingly having a number of friendly interactions with Garrett and Franceschi outside the club.
According to the report, Garrett can be seen and heard attempting to sell a gun just after 3:30 a.m.
Just after 4 a.m., the video shows the three men standing in the parking lot together when Garrett moves “to a position of advantage” around Mitchell as Franceschi strikes him.
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According to the report, immediately after Franceschi’s assault on Mitchell, Garrett can be seen raising his arms and firing the shot that ultimately killed him.
The report says Garrett and Franceschi are then seen getting into a gray SUV and fleeing the scene towards Vineland Road.
Mitchell can be seen running back to his truck before collapsing in the parking lot.
Deputies secured a warrant charging Garrett with premeditated murder and discharging a firearm in public. Garrett was arrested on that warrant in Columbus, Ohio on Dec. 26 and extradited to Osceola County on Friday.
Deputies say they’ve also obtained a warrant charging Franceschi with premeditated murder and battery, but they’re still trying to find him.
The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office is asking the public for help finding Franceschi.
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Anyone with information about his location is asked to contact the sheriff’s office immediately by calling (407) 348-2222, or through Crimeline at 1-800-423-8477.
Crimeline callers are able to remain anonymous and could become eligible for a reward if the information they provide leads directly to an arrest.
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