WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — Winter Haven Police said one person is dead after a stabbing at a Publix Thursday afternoon.
According to police, a man was inside the Publix at Northgate Plaza near the customer service desk when a group of five people entered behind him, and a fight broke out. The group ran out of the store and left the scene.
Police said it appeared that the man at the customer service counter cut one of the men in the group during the fight. A man with stab wounds was later dropped off at the Winter Haven Emergency Department, but the driver did not stay. The victim was later pronounced dead.
Thursday, the Winter Haven Police Chief, David Brannan, told media outlets that they believe that the victim may be the same man who was stabbed in the fight. And if that is the case, Winter Haven Police now have to determine if the man who stabbed him will face any charges.
"Right now, we're trying to piece that together to see, is this a part of self-defense, stand your ground type thing? Basically, what we could tell from all the witnesses and watching video from Publix, this was a targeted event. It wasn't just a random, just happen to come into Publix to start a fight type thing," he said.
At this point, police have not identified anyone who was involved in this incident but have released the following images of possible suspects they are hoping to identify.
Anyone with any information on the identities of subjects seen in the photos is asked to contact Detective Maldonado at 863-837-0946 or 863-401-2256.
The Publix at 1395 Sixth Street NW remains closed as investigators work the scene.
