By Associated Press - Saturday, July 11, 2020

WESLEY CHAPEL, Fla. (AP) - Two men were killed and another was wounded while breaking into a Florida home early Friday morning, authorities said.

The break-in occurred shortly after midnight in Wesley Chapel, the Tampa Bay Times reported. The Pasco County Sheriff’s Office identified the dead men as Luis Casado and Khyle Durham, both 21. Jeremiah Tramel, 19, was taken to a Tampa hospital and faces charges of armed home invasion and felony murder, Sheriff Chris Nocco said. A person can be charged with felony murder under Florida law when someone dies while the person is committing a felony, even if the victim was an accomplice.

The homeowner told deputies that he was playing video games when the intruders entered his house. He grabbed a 9mm handgun and opened fire. Casado and Durham fell to the ground, while Tramel fled, officials said. An armed neighbor stopped Tramel and detained him until deputies arrived.

When questioned at the hospital, Tramel said he wasn’t involved in the robbery. He told detectives he had been riding with the other two men and only approached the home after hearing gunshots.

The intruders appeared to know the homeowner, Nocco said. The homeowner told investigators he might have been targeted because of social media posts featuring his guns.

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