Sanford police: 22-year-old man shot, killed during apparent headphones sale
SANFORD, Fla. - A 22-year-old man was shot and killed Saturday night outside a Sanford, Florida home while attempting to sell a pair of headphones, police said.
Sanford police officers responded to reports of a shooting shortly after 9:30 p.m. Saturday near West 3rd Street and Pomegranate Avenue, police said. Officers found a white pickup truck partially submerged in a retention pond near the intersection where 22-year-old Brandon Leo, of Orlando, was found dead inside.
Police said Leo had been shot and killed.
According to the preliminary investigation, police said Leo was apparently meeting someone at a home "for the purpose of selling a pair of headphones," later specified as a pair of Apple AirPods. Police said Leo pulled into the driveway of the home and was waiting in his truck when two unknown people approached the driver's side of the truck and began shooting.
Sanford Police Department Public Information Officer Bianca Gillett told FOX 35 that it appears the transaction started online and that there was agreement to meet at the house in Sanford. She said the house itself was empty so it appears that this could have been a "set up" to take advantage of Leo and the sale.
She said Leo appeared to be an innocent victim.
"There is absolutely no explanation. It's just absolutely senseless," she said.
"A family is grieving the loss of their son over a pair of headphones. Senseless doesn’t begin to describe this tragedy. Our investigators have been working diligently to locate these two individuals who clearly have no regard for the value of a human life," said Sanford Police Chief Cecil Smith in a statement.
Search on for two alleged suspects
Sandford Police said they're searching for at least two suspects believed to have been involved in the sale and shooting. Very few details about the suspects are known or have been released, police said. They're now asking for the public's help.
Anyone with information about the identities of the two individuals or information about the shooting itself is asked to contact Sanford police at 800-423-8477 (TIPS). Anonymous tips can be made at Crimeline.org. There is a reward of up to $5,000, authorities said.
Use ‘e-commerce exchange zones’ when buying/selling
Investigators say the victim met the men online and had agreed to meet them in person to make the sale.
Unfortunately, this incident is a tragic reminder of the importance of meeting publicly.
"These individuals demonstrated that they couldn't care less for the life of another human being. And just like those individuals, others out there are looking to do something similar," said former Orlando Police Chief and policing expert Orlando Rolón.
Most police departments, including Sanford, have designated "e-commerce exchange zones" where people can safely meet to buy or sell items.
"More than likely, there's going to be security," Rolón said, adding, "Never go by yourself."