On December 25, 2023, a tragic incident occurred in Plant City, Florida, resulting in the deaths of two individuals, including Zonteveon Shaw. The incident began at approximately 9:41 p.m. when a shooting took place in the 1300 block of Louisiana Street. Officers from the Plant City Police Department responded to a 911 call reporting a shooting with injuries. Upon arrival, they found Jamayais Bennett, 20, who had been shot and was clutching his chest.
Bennett was transported to South Florida Baptist Hospital but succumbed to his injuries.
Witnesses reported that Bennett was seen walking on foot in the area, talking on his cellphone, when another person approached him. The shooter, who was in a silver SUV, fired multiple rounds at both Bennett and another individual. Although officers searched the area immediately after the shooting, they were unable to locate a second victim at that time.
The second victim, Zonteveon Shaw, 30, was discovered two days later on December 27, 2023. A cemetery employee at the Garden of Peace Cemetery found Shaw's body near the property's tree-line while performing a routine check of the property. Shaw had been deceased for several days, and his body was covered in blood and lying motionless on the ground.
The Plant City Police Department is actively investigating this double homicide, seeking tips and information from the public to identify and arrest the suspects involved. The suspect vehicle is described as a silver SUV, and surveillance footage is available. Crime Stoppers of Tampa Bay is offering a reward of up to $5,000, and additional reward monies of up to $4,500 are available through the Florida Association of Crime Stoppers and the Florida Office of Attorney General, bringing the total potential reward to up to $9,500 for information leading to the identification and arrest of the suspects.
Anyone with information regarding the identity of the suspects is urged to contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-873-TIPS (8477), report anonymously online, or send a mobile tip using the free Florida Crime Stoppers Mobile application. The police are relying on public assistance to bring justice to the victims and their families.
