3 wounded in shootings, stabbing in 'weekend of violence' in Indian River County

INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Deputies are investigating after two shootings and a stabbing left three injured in a "weekend of violence," according to the Sheriff's Office.

Early Monday, deputies responded to a stabbing at Crosstown Grocery, 2405 43rd St.

Alan Jennings, 37, of Vero Beach, was stabbed twice about 2 a.m., according to the Indian River County Sheriff's Office. Jennings was transported to Lawnwood Regional Medical Center & Heart Institute.

More: Sheriff's Office continues to investigate drive-by that killed 19-year-old Christard Hicks

Jennings told investigators he was stabbed in the groin while sitting in his vehicle.

Further information wasn't immediately available. Detectives are following leads in this case.

In the early hours Sunday, deputies responded to a shooting outside the same Gifford convenience store.

Michael Ross, 49, of Vero Beach, was shot once in the leg about 2 a.m., according to the Sheriff's Office. He was taken by ambulance to Lawnwood Regional Medical Center & Heart Institute with a non-life-threatening wound.

More: Indian River deputies say video surveillance shows shooter in Motel 6 killing; 2nd man charged

Witnesses reported seeing a man fire numerous shots from a Ford F-150 toward the store.

Justin Aguilar, 28, of the 7100 block of 66th Avenue, was arrested later that morning in the 5700 block of 66th Avenue while driving a vehicle matching the description.

Deputies said they recovered the weapon used in the shooting, a 9 mm Glock, in a holster on Aguilar's waist, according to his arrest affidavit. A spent shell casing was found on the floorboard beneath Aguilar's feet.

Aguilar told deputies he was "in Gifford to buy some weed and he had been drinking," according to the affidavit.

Surveillance video showed Ross, Aguilar and a woman talking, approaching each other several times, before he backed his pickup into the street, started shooting and left the area. Several people were present, the affidavit said.

More: Husband and wife in apparent murder-suicide described as happy, loving

Aguilar was charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, discharging a firearm in public and shooting into an occupied vehicle. He was released from the Indian River County Jail Sunday after posting $90,000 bail.

"We continue to see violence and drugs go hand in hand. The witness statements in the case against Aguilar are the reason we were able to locate and arrest him so quickly," Sheriff Deryl Loar said in a news release.

"We need witnesses to come forward in other cases and give truthful statements about what they saw. Together, we can seek justice, just as we have in the arrest of Aguilar."

More: Indian River County Sheriff's Office charges man with firing into occupied pickup truck

Less than 24 hours earlier, a 26-year-old was shot in his home and the vehicle thought to be involved was later found burning at a Gifford apartment complex.

Deputies responded to the shooting in the 5700 block of 59th Avenue about 3 a.m. Friday.

JohnKeith Carter had a non-life-threatening gunshot wound, according to the Sheriff's Office. Carter was taken by ambulance to the emergency room at Lawnwood Regional Medical Center & Heart Institute. His condition Monday was not immediately available.

Residents said they awoke to the sounds of gunfire. Six vehicles in the driveway all were hit by bullets, according to a case report.

More: Fort Pierce police officer fired after fatal shooting of unarmed man ordered to be reinstated

Detectives learned a black sedan occupied by three men was seen leaving the area, said Maj. Eric Flowers, spokesman for the Sheriff's Office.

"Shortly thereafter, deputies responded to the 1800 block of Woodland Circle, where they observed a black sedan fully engulfed in flames," Flowers said in a news release.

The State Fire Marshal is investigating the suspected arson.

More: Siblings charged with home invasion, homicide in shooting death of Fort Pierce man

A concealed firearm was seized in a traffic stop about 3 a.m. Sunday at First Street Southwest and Sixth Court Southwest.

Daraybron Taylor, 26, and Dwayne Taylor, 28, both of Palm Bay, were charged with possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

"The weapon is being submitted for DNA and ballistics testing to determine if it has been used in other recent shooting events and which one of the men possessed the weapon," a news release said.

Both men were released after posting $1,000 bail.