{"id":275,"date":"2026-05-12T10:07:42","date_gmt":"2026-05-12T14:07:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/thetiesthatbind\/?p=275"},"modified":"2026-05-12T10:07:42","modified_gmt":"2026-05-12T14:07:42","slug":"4-month-old-toddler-mother-and-grandmother-killed-in-florida-shooting-spree","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/thetiesthatbind\/2026\/05\/4-month-old-toddler-mother-and-grandmother-killed-in-florida-shooting-spree.html","title":{"rendered":"4-Month-Old, Toddler, Mother and Grandmother Killed in Florida Shooting Spree"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Adobe Stock<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A Florida community is mourning after a horrifying shooting spree claimed the lives of three generations of a family, including a 4-month-old baby and a 4-year-old child, in two separate crime scenes less than a mile apart.<\/p>\n

According to the Plant City Police Department, officers responded on May 3rd to reports of a disturbance on a residential street in Plant City, Florida. When they arrived, they found four victims suffering from gunshot wounds. The two young children \u2014 a 4-month-old infant and a 4-year-old toddler \u2014 were pronounced dead at the scene. Their 28-year-old mother was rushed to the hospital but later died from her injuries. A third child was discovered unharmed.<\/p>\n

As investigators worked the scene, they quickly connected the violence to a second nearby location, where the children\u2019s 55-year-old grandmother was found dead from a gunshot wound. Police confirmed she was the mother of the 28-year-old victim.<\/p>\n

Authorities believe people traveled on foot between the two locations during the early morning hours, prompting detectives to widen their search throughout the city. Investigators are now asking residents and businesses to check surveillance footage recorded between 5:30 a.m. and 7 a.m. Sunday for anything suspicious.<\/p>\n

Police specifically want to locate video showing \u201ca woman walking with three young children near North Burton Street or West Tever Street\u201d during that time frame.<\/p>\n

Neighbors say there appeared to be troubling signs in the days leading up to the killings. John Czarniak, who lives near one of the crime scenes, told FOX13 Tampa that police had previously been called to the home after an argument.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey had some type of disagreement on Friday to where the police were called by the wife,\u201d Czarniak said. \u201cThen in that time, her mother came.\u201d<\/p>\n

He also described witnessing alarming behavior the night before the shooting.<\/p>\n

\u201cI saw a man strapping on a bulletproof vest and loading a large duffel bag into a car,\u201d he told the station.<\/p>\n

Residents throughout the area are struggling to process the tragedy.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re devastated. Watching everything that unfolded is horrible,\u201d neighbor Jody Kott said. \u201cFrom what I saw, they will need every prayer they can get.\u201d<\/p>\n

Police have not yet publicly identified the victims or named a suspect. Investigators also have not confirmed a motive as the investigation continues.<\/p>\n

The heartbreaking deaths of two small children alongside their mother and grandmother have left many in the community shaken and searching for answers. As detectives continue gathering evidence, local residents are being urged to come forward with any information that could help piece together what happened during the deadly early morning hours.<\/p>\n

Authorities are asking anyone with information to contact the Plant City Police Department at 813-763-3316 or submit anonymous tips to investigators.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A Florida community is mourning after a horrifying shooting spree claimed the lives of three generations of a family, including a 4-month-old baby and a 4-year-old child, in two separate crime scenes less than a mile apart. According to the Plant City Police Department, officers responded on May 3rd to reports of a disturbance on…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":462,"featured_media":278,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fbia_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-275","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n4-Month-Old, Toddler, Mother and Grandmother Killed in Florida Shooting Spree<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Florida police investigate a deadly shooting spree that killed a mother, grandmother, 4-year-old child, and 4-month-old baby in Plant City.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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