POLK COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) — Winter Haven police have released photos of people who were involved in a fight at Publix that ended with one person being stabbed to death.
The Winter Haven Police Department said a man was inside of the store, located at 1395 Sixth Street Northwest in the Northgate Shopping Center when a group of men approached him at the counter.
When the group got behind the man, a fight broke out, before the group fled the store.
The man at the counter cut one of the men in the group during the fight, police said. That man stayed behind with minor injuries and told police he was acting in self defense, Winter Haven Police Chief David Brannan said.
Officials said a person who was stabbed was later dropped off at the Winter Haven Emergency Department entrance. The driver drove off.
The man who was stabbed eventually died.
Brannan said everyone involved appeared to be in their late teens or early 20s. Witnesses told police one of the men was being yelled at by a group of four or five other men in the parking lot.
The group reportedly followed the man into the store and then the fight broke out near the customer service counter, police said.
Police don’t know what the fight was about, but said the incident was targeted. They’re working with the state attorney’s office to determine if any charges will be filed.
Publix is currently closed due to the ongoing investigation.
In a statement to News Channel 8, Publix deferred all questions to the Winter Haven Police Department.
Anyone with information on the individuals who were involved is asked to call 863-837-0946 or 863-401-2256.
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