Osceola County deputies say a home invasion at an Airbnb in the ChampionsGate area turned into what the sheriff himself called an “old Wild West shootout.” And somehow, no one was hit.
According to Sheriff Christopher Blackmon, the chaos unfolded on November 5th at a rental home on Cedar Street.
A teenage victim told deputies she was outside when a group of armed men dressed in black and wearing ski masks approached her at gunpoint. They forced her back inside. They believed they were about to pull off a straightforward home invasion.
What they didn’t know?
There were already armed individuals inside the house. The moment the suspects stormed in, gunfire erupted in both directions.
Photos from investigators show bullet holes through walls, a shattered sliding glass door, and heavy damage throughout the home.
Despite the volume of shots fired, Sheriff Blackmon told WESH 2 News it’s “miraculous” that no one, victim, resident, or suspect, was injured.
Deputies quickly searched the neighborhood. They arrested two suspects after the victim positively identified them.
Both were booked into the Osceola County Jail on multiple charges. Those charges included aggravated assault, shooting into an occupied dwelling, grand theft, and armed robbery.
Three more suspects were later located and arrested in Orange County, following hours of detective work, search warrants, and investigative follow-up by the Criminal Investigation Division.
Sheriff Blackmon says his office has increased patrols around the ChampionsGate tourist corridor. It’s a dense cluster of short-term rentals that has recently seen multiple calls for home invasions.
For visitors heading to Central Florida, the sheriff offered a reminder that vacation doesn’t mean letting your guard down: “Be careful… stay alert, stay vigilant.” And for locals, the message was just as clear, if something feels off, call it in.
While the sheriff didn’t link the cases outright, he did confirm detectives are investigating whether the five arrested men may be connected to other incidents in the area.
The investigation remains active, with deputies still reviewing whether this crew had a larger pattern of targeting rentals.
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