Reported Shooting In DeLand Leaves 1 Man Dead; VCSO's Investigating

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DeLand, FL - Update: The VCSO reports that the victim has been identified as Paul G. Wright, 41, also known by his nickname, "Shorty." Wright was considered homeless, as he had no permanent address.

The cause of death has not yet been confirmed. The VCSO  is treating the investigation as a homicide. The Volusia County Medical Examiner's Office is scheduled to conduct an autopsy on Thursday.

No one is in custody, and Sheriff's detectives are continuing to process information and evidence in the case, as well as interview Wright's friend, family and known associates in an effort to determine what led up to the killing.

Earlier Reporting: The Volusia County Sheriff's Office is investigating a suspicious death in DeLand following a reported shooting on Tuesday night.

About 30 minutes before the victim was found, DeLand Police officers reported hearing gunshots while they were patrolling the area of S Clara Ave and W Beresford Ave. VCSO's Communications Center started getting calls about a shooting at around 10:46 PM.

Responding officers found a man in a dirt lot at Parsons Ave and Green St. Paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene at 10:55 PM. According to VCSO, they haven't been able to identify the victim at this point and no one's been arrested for the shooting.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Sheriff’s Office or Crime Stoppers of Northeast Florida, toll-free, at (888) 277-TIPS. Information also can be submitted by downloading the smartphone app from the Crime Stoppers website (http://www.westopcrime.com/). Callers to Crime Stoppers will remain anonymous and can qualify for a reward of up to $5,000.

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