LAKELAND, Fla. — One person is dead and another is injured after a shooting that started as an argument at a Lakeland convenience store Tuesday evening.
The Lakeland Police Department said officers arrived at Fast Stop on East Memorial Boulevard around 6:08 p.m. While there, they found Joshua Graham, 37, had been shot in the head and died at the scene. An 18-year-old woman had also been shot in the leg and was taken to the hospital in a private vehicle before the officers arrived.
During an investigation, police learned that the 18-year-old woman and Cornelius Gilmore Jr.,19, pulled up to the Fast Stop in separate vehicles. They went inside the store to make a purchase before coming out to their vehicles.
While the woman was attempting to back out in her vehicle, Graham was pulling into the parking lot and trying to park next to her. Police said Graham got upset because the woman "nearly backed into his path," and called her a derogatory name. Instead of leaving, the woman pulled back into her spot and both her and Gilmore got out of their vehicles to confront Graham.
Police said Graham tried to enter the store, but was blocked by Gilmore, and the argument continued before it turned physical.
According to police, Graham moved past Gilmore, and Gilmore turned to fire again, striking Graham in the head and killing him. Police said Graham didn't know the woman or Gilmore prior to the shooting.
Gilmore was arrested for second-degree murder, attempted murder, and carrying a concealed firearm.
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