Deputies Looking for 3 Men in Lutz Home Invasion, Shooting

The search is on for three men Pasco County deputies say are responsible for a home invasion and shooting that left a mother and her 14-year-old daughter hospitalized early Wednesday morning.

The woman and her daughter were just returning to their home around 1:30 a.m. Wednesday when a neighbor at 20045 Valdez Lane called to them and said there was someone inside the mobile home, said Melanie Snow, sheriff’s office spokeswoman. When the two women went to investigate what was happening at their neighbor’s house, Snow said they interrupted a home invasion.

“They tried to open the door,” Snow said, “and they (the suspects) shot at the women.”

The two never made it inside the home, she added.

Details in the case are still emerging, but Snow said there were seven people inside the mobile home prior to the home invasion. It is unclear how many people live in the home at 20045 Valdez Lane.

The mother and daughter, who live at a different address nearby, were airlifted to St. Joseph’s Hospital with gunshot wounds to their abdomens. Snow said their names are not being released at this time since the suspects in the case remain at large.

Both mother and daughter, Snow said, are expected to recover.

Descriptions of the suspects are not available at this time.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact the sheriff's office at 727-844-7711.

Stay with Land O’ Lakes Patch for updates as they become available.

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