Detectives are investigating a shooting that left three people dead in an east Orange County industrial plaza early Friday.
Police identified the victims Monday as Juan Mendez, 32, Christopher Torres, 28, and Michael Torres, 29.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office says the shooting happened at a warehouse at 2205 N. Forsyth Road, a plaza in an industrial district located blocks away from a residential area and Cheney Elementary School.
Deputies responded to a call just before 2 a.m. Friday about the shooting in an area of the plaza that was being used as a motorcycle club after hours, complete with a bar and pool table, Sheriff John Mina told reporters.
A Sheriff’s Office spokesperson said Friday afternoon that it’s still unclear whether the space being used was a business that doubled as a motorcycle club hangout and could not provide the name of the club.
When deputies arrived, they found two men dead. Investigators discovered there were two other shooting victims who transported themselves to the hospital. One was later pronounced dead while the second suffered a non-life-threatening injury.
Witnesses told deputies shots broke out following an argument over a motorcycle, but the victim who survived the shooting isn’t being cooperative, Mina said.
“We believe all the people involved most likely know each other,” Mina said, adding there is no threat to anyone who lives in the area.
Early Friday afternoon, deputies still had the parking lot of the plaza cordoned off while surrounding businesses continued operating normally. According to business records, auto repair shops, a crossfit gym, churches and a company that ships items to the Dominican Republic all operate on the property.
The property is owned by the Central Canal Company, a limited liability corporation based less than a mile from the plaza. Anthony Askowitz, a Miami-based real estate broker listed as a corporate officer, didn’t respond to a phone call requesting comment.
The sheriff said the shooting was an isolated incident and there is a chance there is more than one shooter.
OCSO did not release any information on potential suspects.
The plaza where Friday’s shooting occurred is less than a quarter-mile from Fiamma Inc., an RV and camper accessory business where five workers were killed in 2017 by a disgruntled former employee.
Staff writer Katie Rice contributed to this report.
creyes-rios@orlandosentinel.com
