LAKELAND, Fla. – A Lakeland man has been charged in connection with a fatal shooting that occurred on Christmas Eve in 2020. Taqiy Lewis, 27, is facing federal charges for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon.
According to the criminal complaint, on December 24, 2020, a 70-year-old woman, identified as M.C., was outside her Lakeland home with family members when a shootout erupted nearby. M.C. was tragically struck twice and killed, while a 13-year-old child, A.L., was also wounded in the gunfire.
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The case remained unsolved for over two years until February 9, 2023, when, during an unrelated investigation, agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and officers from the Lakeland Police Department recovered a Kahr CM9 9mm pistol. Forensic testing confirmed that this was the weapon used in the 2020 shooting.
Further investigation linked the firearm directly to Lewis, who was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition due to a prior felony conviction.
If convicted, Lewis faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diego F. Novaes.
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