Three people were shot to death inside a Lakeland home Wednesday, authorities said.
A fourth victim was shot in the face and taken to an area hospital for treatment.
The shooting occurred on East Magnolia Drive in the Combee area near Lakeland early Wednesday morning.
Some residents in the neighborhood where the shooting occurred said they were frightened. Others said efforts are under way to combat the violence that has plagued the community.
Cheryl Alexander wants something to change in her neighborhood. She is saddened crime scene tape blocked a home for the entire day as sheriff's deputies investigated the triple homicide.
The Polk County Sheriff's Office says David Washington, Eneida Branch and Angelica Castro were killed. Felix Campos, 18, was taken a local hospital after he was shot in the face.
Sheriff Grady Judd said the house was known as a "one-stop shop for drugs" such as marijuana, heroin and cocaine.
"To those who think drugs are harmless, drugs are minor, drugs aren't that serious, try telling that to the families of those 4 people,."Judd said.
Jessica Washington said her brother was among the dead.
"I practically raised him and like I said it hurts. It hurts so bad," Jessica Washington said.
"I told him to move. It's a very bad neighborhood. It's a very bad neighborhood over here"
This crime fuels the group CARE in Combee to keep working harder, like getting sidewalks and lights. They have been trying to revitalize the community for sometime.
"We've been trying to change an image that has developed about the Combee area," Alexander said.
