LAKELAND, Fla. — A woman who was shot in an early morning shooting has died, Lakeland police said.
Lakeland police said on Sunday at 6:25 a.m., officers received a call to respond to the 5400 block of Quarry Rock Road related to a disturbance involving a man with a gun.
Three officers responded to the home inside the Cobblestone Landing Townhome property.
As officers arrived on the scene, they saw a man with a gun and a woman standing outside the home in the parking area. As the woman turned toward the direction of one of the officers, the suspect shot the woman, police said.
An officer immediately returned fire and shot the suspect.
Officers began helping both the man and the woman while waiting on emergency medical professionals to arrive.
Polk County Fire Rescue and the Lakeland Fire Department arrived on the scene to provide life-saving measures.
The shooting suspect, 35-year-old Howayne T. Gayle, was pronounced dead on the scene and the gun he had was recovered by police.
The 37-year-old victim was transported to Lakeland Regional Health. Police said despite the efforts of medical professionals, she died from her injuries at the hospital.
Detectives learned the victim and Gayle were in a romantic relationship prior to a recent break-up.
Gayle came to the townhome and broke into the home after he was not allowed entry into the home, police said.
Inside the home were the victim and her 19-year-old daughter, police said.
The victim went outside the home with Gayle, which is where officers found them both.
