Group follows man into Publix, starts fight that ends in fatal stabbing, Florida cops say
UPDATE: The man who was jumped in a Florida Publix was charged with manslaughter on Jan. 4 when police said his argument of self-defense didn’t hold, WFLA reported.
The 19-year-old initiated the fight by throwing a can of soup at one of the group members, police told the outlet.
The original story continues below.
When a man walked into a central Florida Publix on Nov. 9, a group of men followed him in. The subsequent encounter led to one man being stabbed to death, according to a news release from the Winter Haven Public Safety Department.
Photos released by police show the man standing at the front counter of the store in Winter Haven. The group quickly approached him and a fight broke out, police said.
During the fight, the man who was followed into the store stabbed one of his attackers, police said.
The stabbed man was later dropped off at a hospital where he died, according to the release.
Police told WFLA the men involved looked like they were in their late teens or early 20s, and said the fight had started with an argument in the parking lot.
The attack was targeted, police told the outlet, and the man who was attacked said he stabbed one of his attackers in self defense.
Charges will be determined by the state attorney’s office, police told the outlet.
Police are asking for anyone who can identify the men involved in the attack to reach out to the Winter Haven Police Department.
Winter Haven is about 50 miles southwest of Orlando.
This story was originally published November 10, 2023 at 12:20 PM with the headline "Group follows man into Publix, starts fight that ends in fatal stabbing, Florida cops say."
