LAKELAND, Fla. — A Lakeland man has pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon in connection with a 2020 Christmas Eve shooting that killed a 70-year-old woman and injured a 13-year-old girl.
Federal prosecutors said 27-year-old Taqiy Lewis engaged in a shootout outside the victim’s Lakeland home while she was with her family. The woman, identified as M.C., was struck twice and killed, and the girl, A.L., was wounded.
Investigators later recovered the Kahr CM9 pistol used in the shooting during a February 2023 search. Forensic testing confirmed the gun fired the fatal shots and injured the teen. Lewis, prohibited from possessing firearms due to prior felony convictions, faces up to 15 years in federal prison.
Petition calls for safety overhaul at Avalon Heights after 2 students killed
A University of South Florida student has launched a petition calling for safety reforms at Avalon Heights apartments in Tampa following the deaths of two USF doctoral students, Zamil Limon and Nahida Bristy.
