17-year-old 'ambushed and murdered' in Bartow, Polk Sheriff Grady Judd says

 

The Polk County Sheriff's Office is looking for leads after a 17-year-old was murdered in what Sheriff Grady Judd described as a "horrible scene."

According to Judd, Taigur Taguri was shot multiple times as he sat in the driver's seat of a truck on Monday night at Gordon Heights Park. Judd said Taguri was at the park with a 19-year-old girl and was going to meet up with some guys to sell them marijuana.

Judd said, according to the witness with Taguri, several unknown black males approached the truck, opened the doors and started to shoot at the victim.

"They ambushed and murdered this young man," Judd said.

According to the sheriff's office, the suspects discharged multiple firearms and Taguri was shot several times. The 19-year-old witness was not injured.

A woman who lives across the street from the park said she heard about five or six gunshots.

"Well I didn’t know what was happening and I didn't want to stick my head out because I didn't know which way the bullet was going. I went back there and laid down,” Riller Jackson said.

After the shooting, authorities said the suspects ran from the scene. Judd said authorities believe the suspects are around the same age as the victim.

Judd said the suspects didn't take the marijuana and are considered to be armed and dangerous.

"That disturbs me, seriously that disturbs me. So, that means that the neighborhood we’re going to have to ban together and keep an eye out on the neighborhood even a lot closer, because we got a lot of elderly folk in our neighborhood,” Darrell said.

During a press conference, Judd spoke directly to the suspects and asked those who didn't shoot to come forward with information.

"There were several of you and you didn't all fire a gun, so let me ask those of you that didn't fire a gun — do you eventually want to be a witness to a first-degree murder or do you want to be a co-defendant to a first-degree murder," Judd asked.

Heartland Crime Stoppers is offering a $5,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest. Tips can be made anonymously or you can call 1-800-226-TIPS (8477).