Man Fatally Shoots Girlfriend, Her 8-Year-Old Son and Injures 4 Others: Cops

 
 
 
 
 

Hours after police broke up an argument between a Florida couple, the boyfriend opened fire with an AK-47, killing his girlfriend, her 8-year-old son and wounding four others, authorities said.

Sanford cops were twice called to intervene between Latina Herring, 35, and Allen Cashe, 31, who were fighting over keys to her house and his car, according to police.

Sanford Police Chief Cecil Smith held a press conference Monday to refute "misinformation" in some media reports, he said, after body camera footage and 911 audiotapes contained an admonition from one officer to "stop calling 911."

Some stories said the cop was talking to Herring, but Smith said the policeman was actually talking to a third party who repeatedly called emergency dispatchers while officers were speaking to Herring and Cashe.

The comment was taken "out of context," Smith told reporters.

Investigators first responded to a 911 call at about 3:30 a.m., last Monday, authorities said.

Herring and Cashe were yelling at each other, bodycam video showed, after Cashe called to report his girlfriend's refusal to hand over his car keys.

Officers were called again, a few minutes later, after a friend of Herring’s called 911 to say Cashe had battered the woman. Police responded, and left after Herring drove away from his girlfriend's house, Smith said.

He returned about three hours later, armed with an AK-47, and fired 27 rounds, killing Herring in her bed, police said. Eight-year-old Branden Christian, and his 7-year-old brother, Brenden, were both shot a total of three times, investigators said.

Branden died in a hospital the next day. Herring’s father was also shot.

After leaving the scene, Cashe shot two bystanders, including a high school student at a bus stop, police.

A witness told authorities that Cashe said, "I’m sorry, but y’all are gonna die," before firing about 10 rounds, WKMG-TV reported.

"It was a horrible thing that took place over a set of keys,” Smith said. “Two people lost their lives and four others are fighting for their lives right now."

Cashe has  been charged with two counts of first-degree murder and four counts of attempted murder, authorities said. He is being held at the Seminole County Jail without bond. An arraignment is scheduled for April 17.