A shootout at 8 Regent Lane in Palm Coast Wednesday evening sent two men to the hospital, one of them airlifted, and triggered an elaborate and ongoing investigation by the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office. No one is in custody for now. One of the men is 23, the other is 20. Others, possibly several others, may have been involved.
“We responded to a shooting call last night alleging that someone entered a home and there was a confrontation and an individual was shot,” Sheriff Rick Staly said this afternoon. The call to authorities was initially a report of a home invasion, but that does not appear to be the case. “We do not believe anyone in the community needs to be in fear as we believe this was a targeted incident at a specific home or individual.”
One of the men involved, Zaire Roberts, had in 2016 been charged with attempted first degree murder, when he was 17. He is the man who’d shot Philip Haire, then 18, after a confrontation on Lewisdale Lane, not far from Haire’s house. The charge against Roberts was reduced to aggravated battery with a firearm, still a first degree felony, and Roberts was sentenced to seven years in prison. He was released just weeks ago, at the end of September, and was on probation. (Haire is serving 25 years in an unrelated shooting.)
There is an unconfirmed report that Roberts was killed. The sheriff is not confirming any details of the investigation so as to protect its integrity. “We’re not releasing that information, so I’m not going to confirm that,” he said. “What I can tell you is that this is an active investigation and with a lot of work yet to be done.” He said if anyone has information relating to the incident, they should call the sheriff’s non-emergency line at 313-4911 or call CrimeStoppers at 1-888-277-TIPS, where relevant information may lead to a reward of up to $5,000.
Asked if he expects to have anyone in custody at some point, Staly said: “We’re following every lead and interviewing many people, and we’ll have to see where the investigation takes us.”
The incident was reported shortly after 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, at the home of one of the people who got shot. At least one vehicle sped away from Regent Lane after the shooting. According to his Florida Department of Corrections record, Roberts’s stated residence when he was released was to be in Hapville, Ga.
A.j says
Thus person I’m sure is African American. Why are these guys getting in trouble. Wow it hurts to c Black young men continue getting in trouble.
Duece says
Rest up deuce ❤️
Gerald says
Isn’t this a great city!, So glad i moved here!Boy did i make a mistake! Im selling headed back north!
flatsflyer says
Quickly and permentally for the benefit of all.
The dude says
I too regret moving to this shithole.
There was more people living in a single zip code, than live in this entire county (where I moved from) and it was MTG’s district… yet there’s more depravity and deranged people here by far, and the politics here are totally bat shit crazy.
Just waiting for the bubble to pop, to try somewhere else.
nomorepitbulls says
So they don’t have shootouts or crime “back north”?
And you decided to sell based on THIS incident? Very Strange
Jimbo99 says
I have a challenge. it’s for Bunnell/Palm Coast/Flagler County to get thru 12/31/2021 midnight without topping this story ?
A.j says
Wow great challenge.
ASF says
“Gangsta” life is not conducive to longevity.
Steve says
Its the Wild West coming to a street near you. For a small Town an inordinate amount of this so glad to be an Ex Resident. IMO the underbelly of FPC has not fully revealed itself yet. Good Luck
Land of no turn signals says says
Drugs,drugs and mo drugs.
Happy New Year says
Why always people assumed where is a shooting there is drugs involved?
Unless you know any these people, or are you one of them they are looking for?
The news is saying the guy was in prisoner for 7 years for shooting someone else already.
The guy on the orange suit it looks like he is a career criminal! I’m pretty sure there was cameras!
MrsT1983 says
This is literally around the corner from me. That night, I heard what I believed was gunfire but my husband said it was probably just fireworks.
Well well says
Our sheriff being so quiet about this investigation? Rather sus. He usually loves to run his mouth.
Truth says
Yes I noticed the same thing. Very different approach from him. He seems to have an extremely qualified and capable team of detectives but he seems to love the attention on himself and constantly taking credit for everything.
Happy New Year says
Why don’t you trust the sheriff, He is saying what the detective told him?
Granmster MJ says
C’mon Dog,
Unless Thee Sheriff is not having his boyz writing tickets or harassing peeps on us 1 he doses care bout us peeps in the community. You feel me
Dave says
It’s all about drugs, their way of making a living these days, and they don’t value lives over the drugs and the money they make from them. Not much more can be said.
NoodleNoodle says
Rip DUECEEEEE 4EVER LIVE ONNNNNNNNNN