$5K reward offered after 2 teens injured in suspected gang-related shooting in Orange County, deputies say

ORLANDO, Fla. — A $5,000 reward is being offered for information on a suspected gang-related shooting that left two teenagers injured during a wedding reception in Orange County, deputies said.

On Saturday, a 14-year-old girl and 17-year-old boy were shot around 4:30 p.m. at the American Veterans Post on Ferguson Drive.

READ: 14-year-old girl, 17-year-boy shot in Orange County, deputies say

“I thought it was firecrackers at first, ducked down, to keep from getting a stray bullet at me,” witness Bruce Woodson said.

Deputies said both victims suffered non-life-threatening injuries and were transported to a hospital.

Officials said they believe the shooting is tied to gang violence that has occurred in the area over the last few months.

READ: Rewards in the shooting deaths of 2 Orange County boys increased to $20K each

Investigators said it’s possible the shooting was retaliation for a shooting at the Mall at Millenia days earlier, where a local rapper with alleged ties to a gang was the target.

9 Investigates has been tracking the gang violence for weeks, which has claimed the lives of two children, a 14-year-old and a 3-year-old whose killers still haven’t been caught despite sizable $20,000 rewards.

Deputies said the beef between the gangs got heated in April, and since then there have been 139 shootings in Orange County. And in those shootings, they said 96 of the people who have been shot 14 were younger than 18.

Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to contact Crimeline at 800-423-8477.

READ: Orlando rapper with known gang affiliation arrested after being targeted in Mall at Millenia shooting, police say

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