Florence Daily Feed

By Matthew Wilkins, Editor-In-Chief

FLORENCE - What started as an ordinary Tuesday morning in downtown Florence turned into chaos when gunfire broke out inside the City Hall and Tower Parking garage just after 11:30 a.m. According to our reporter, a Florence County Deputy Sheriff was shot during the confrontation and had to be resuscitated at the scene before being rushed to the hospital in critical condition.

The suspected gunman was also shot and pronounced dead shortly afterward. Another man who was with the shooter has been detained, though investigators are still trying to determine what part he may have played in this situation. By midday, yellow crime scene tape surrounded the garage as forensic teams moved carefully through the concrete structure, marking evidence and collecting shell casings. City employees and bystanders watched from a distance, shaken by the sudden burst of violence in a normally quiet part of downtown. They reported loud and dozen gunshots.

Authorities have not released the names of those involved, and the area remains closed as the investigation continues.

“This is still a very active scene,” a police spokesperson said. “We’re asking everyone to stay clear of the area while we work to find out exactly what happened.”

Photo: Matthew Wilkins / The Ventura Journal