[PHOTO CREDIT: Lake County Sheriff’s Office]
[Original Publish Date: 02/01/21]
TAVARES, Florida — A man robbed a local internet café and fired at least one shot Sunday night, according to a Lake County Sheriff’s Office report.
Just before 7 p.m., LCSO and Tavares Police officers responded to a 9-1-1 call in reference to people running across the road and possibly shooting, near Irene’s 14942 West Old Highway 441. When law enforcement arrived at Irene’s, they found it had just been robbed by a white male with a gun, according to the report.
A female employee of Irene’s told LCSO that a white male came into the facility and ordered a Mountain Dew, played one game, went into the bathroom and then left. The male returned around 15 to 20 minutes later and was acting “suspicious.”
A male employee called the female employee to the front and she saw the man holding a “smaller” gun in front of him. The man asked her to give him money and said he did not want to hurt her, and only wanted money, the report states. The victim gave him an undisclosed amount of money and a male employee chased the robber out of the building as he left. The robber fired the gun as the victim chased him and he gave up his pursuit. That victim told deputies the robber gave him a “bad vibe” just before he pulled the gun.
A separate witness told LCSO she was walking her dog near the scene when she heard yelling and saw someone being chased and heard three shots. She then called 9-1-1.
Law enforcement set up a perimeter and attempted to track the suspect with a K-9 deputy, but they were unable to locate him, according to the heavily redacted report.
If you have information on Sunday’s robbery, call LCSO at 352-343-2101.
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Our Editor-in-Chief, Marilyn M. Aciego, began writing for Lake Legal News in 2010. Born and raised in Lake County, she is a graduate of Umatilla High School and Lake-Sumter State College. She started her journalism career at LSSC, where she was editor of both student publications, The Angler and The Odyssey. Her professional career began at the Daily Commercial in 2004 where she covered cops and courts the majority of her time there until she left in 2009. Currently, along with being Editor-in-Chief of Lake Legal News, she is the Florida bureau chief for an international media organization. She has made more than two dozen appearances on live national television, including Nancy Grace and the Greta Van Susteren show, along with her appearance on Evil Twins. Contact her with breaking news, tips, and feedback by sending an e-mail to 352Tips@gmail.com. You can also contact us on our Facebook page — and make sure you “Like” and “Follow us” there. [PHOTO CREDIT: Bonnie Whicher]
