BARTOW, Fla. - On 09/20/2020 at about 7:48 pm, the Bartow Police Department responded to an armed carjacking which occurred at 222 W. Ethelene St, Ba
BARTOW, Fla. – On 09/20/2020 at about 7:48 pm, the Bartow Police Department responded to an armed carjacking which occurred at 222 W. Ethelene St, Bartow.
The investigation revealed the following: The parents of three small children were in the process of taking their children out for a family evening. The mother was in the parking area of the residence and had secured all three children in the vehicle while the father was still inside the residence.
The mother entered the driver’s side of the vehicle, at which time an unknown subject produced a handgun and ordered her out of the vehicle. The victim advised the suspect that children were in the vehicle, at which time the suspect forcibly removed the victim from the car. The suspect and a second suspect on the passenger side of the vehicle entered the vehicle and fled the area.
As officers were searching the area, dispatch received a call advising two of the children were located in the roadway in a residential area near the incident location. Officers responded to the area and recovered the children. A second call was received at another location in which the third child was left in the roadway. The third child was also safely recovered. Neither the mother nor any of the children received any injuries as a result of this incident.
Through investigative means, the vehicle was located in the area of Nebraska Avenue and Columbus Drive. Tampa Police Department was notified of the vehicle and the location and responded to the area to assist this agency.
TPD was able to locate the vehicle and one of the suspects, Deshawn Newland, 25. The victim was able to positively identify Newland as one of the suspects. Newland was arrested at the scene and charged with Armed Carjacking, Kidnapping (3 counts), Child Endangerment (3 counts), Discharging a Firearm/Public, and Violation of Probation.
At this time, the second suspect is still at large. If you have any information regarding this case, please contact the Detective Fender at 863-534-5041 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-226-8477.
