Lake County sheriff’s detectives are investigating an incident that left two people dead from apparent gunshot wounds last night (August 25) in the northeast part of Lake County. The incident occurred at 45918 Pennsylvania Road in Altoona at approximately 9 p.m.

Deputies responded to the residence after receiving a report of two people at the home being shot. Upon arrival, two male victims were found deceased. The deceased victims have been identified as 34-year-old David Thomas Mikell of Umatilla and 41-year-old Shane Eugene Clements of Altoona.

Detectives have developed leads and are following up on the information. The shooting was not a random act and the two persons of interest do not reside at the residence.

The investigation is active; therefore, no further information is being released at this time. Further details will be provided once they become available.

A 16-year-old male student from Lake Hills Academy in Mascotte was arrested today for having a handgun on a Lake County school bus this morning. The school’s administration was notified after another student on the bus saw the student with the gun. By that time, the bus had already departed from the school.

Deputies had reason to believe that the gun was left on the bus and not brought into the school. They quickly began investigating the claim and responded to the bus parking lot located on Golf Links Avenue in Eustis. Upon searching the bus, a Glock handgun was located on the back seat, concealed in a sweatshirt. The gun was holstered and unloaded; no ammunition was found.

Deputies continued investigating and were able to review footage from the bus’s security camera, which showed 16-year-old Trace James Richardson removing his sweatshirt and leaving it in that same seat.

ased upon witness statements and the video evidence, Richardson was arrested and charged with possessing a firearm on school property. He will be detained by the Division of Juvenile Justice.

Lake Hills Academy is an alternative school located at 513 Albrook Street in Mascotte.

Detectives assigned to the Lake County sheriff’s Cyber Crimes Unit recently concluded a 4-day operation targeting subjects online attempting to meet children for sexual activity. The investigation, dubbed Operation Welcome to Detention, resulted in six arrests for various sex-related crimes.

Detectives conducted the operation August 24-27, during which time they posed online as either a 13- or 14-year-old child. The subjects traveled to the predetermined location with the intent to have sex with whom they thought was the child and were taken into custody upon arrival. All suspects were arrested without incident.

This operation would not have been possible without the cooperation and support from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and other member agencies of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.