NORTH PORT, Fla. — Three individuals were arrested Saturday afternoon following a shooting at the Flats at Sundown Apartments that led to the discovery of suspected drug trafficking activities in North Port.
The North Port Police Department responded to the apartment complex around 4 p.m. after receiving reports of gunfire. Officers found multiple shell casings in the parking lot near the swimming pool. A small gray SUV, riddled with bullet holes and leaking fuel, was found abandoned across the street near Jiffy Lube on Toledo Blade Boulevard.
Witnesses reported seeing several suspects fleeing the scene, with some heading behind a nearby Publix. Police located two of the suspects at a Burger King on Toledo Blade Boulevard, while the third was apprehended at a McDonald’s on Sumter and Price Boulevard after being dropped off there.
The investigation revealed that two groups arrived separately, and an argument escalated into gunfire. Police found evidence consistent with liquid narcotics at the Burger King.
Kevon Merritt, 19, and a 17-year-old juvenile were arrested at Burger King and face trafficking oxycodone charges. They were booked into the Sarasota County Jail. The third suspect, Dejon Love, 27, was taken into custody at McDonald’s and was also wanted in Hillsborough County for grand theft.
Fortunately, no injuries were reported, despite several bystanders being present at the pool during the shooting. The investigation into the incident is ongoing.
