Two Lakeland Men Suspects In Fatal Shooting

LAKELAND | Law enforcement officials have identified the two Lakeland men arrested following an armed robbery and fatal shooting Sunday that began in Fort Meade and ended in Lakeland.
Jamel Bell, 20, a passenger in the getaway car, was arrested after the car crashed at West Parker and Stella streets in the Lake Parker Drive area. The driver, Antwan Laron Nelson, 21, ran from the crash scene. Deputies found him at a house at 705 Gilmore St. and arrested him this morning.

Both have been charged in the killing of Auntrey Keon Jones, 20, of Fort Meade and with the armed robbery of Lachaz Clark.

The robberies started at Southeast Lanier Avenue and Southeast Seventh Street in Fort Meade, deputies said. Two men in a white Oldsmobile robbed Clark, 21, then drove to Southwest Seminole Avenue and Southwest Eighth Street where they attempted to rob Jones before shooting him and driving away, deputies said.

Jones is a participant in the Polk County Jail work release program for a recent arrest on driving with a suspended license. A sheriff’s spokeswoman could not say if there was any connection between the victim and Bell and Nelson.

The car was seen heading north, away from Fort Meade and into Lakeland. Deputies chased the car and the driver refused to stop, said sheriff’s spokeswoman Carrie Rodgers.

The car eventually stopped in the Lake Parker Drive area of Lakeland.

At the height of the chase, numerous sheriff’s patrol cars and the department’s helicopter were called in to help. Lakeland police officers also were involved in the search.

Nelson was on probation when the robbery occurred, according to records.

He pleaded guilty in Polk County to carrying a concealed firearm and discharging it in a public place in 2006 and was sentenced to 30 months probation.

This year, he was accused of violating his probation by not getting permission from his probation officer to change his residence. He was released pending the outcome of that case.

In Osceola County, he faced charges for grand theft of a firearm, armed carjacking, armed robbery and attempted felony murder.

It’s unclear if Nelson was found guilty of those charges.