SORRENTO, Florida—A Sorrento man is facing a manslaughter charge and an aggravated battery charge after shooting a man and killing him Friday night, according to an arrest affidavit.
Lake County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to Quaker Ridge Avenue on a report of a person being shot, and when they arrived, they found a man suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest. He was transported to AdventHealth Waterman in Tavares where he succumbed to his injury and was pronounced deceased. The victim’s name is redacted from the affidavit.
The investigation revealed Wallace Mannin Kirkland, 59, had shot the man once in the chest with a semi-automatic pistol and based on several interviews, LCSO found that Kirkland and the victim had multiple verbal altercations in the past, the affidavit states.
Prior to the shooting, Kirkland, his wife and a neighbor were standing on the side of Quaker Ridge Avenue when the victim drove by in a Can-Am Side-by-Side and Kirkland threw a beer can over the side-by-side as it drove past. The victim got out of the vehicle, approached Kirkland, and said something similar to “I’m going to kill you,” the affidavit states. Witnesses told LCSO they did not see a weapon in the victim’s hand, and he was outnumbered due to the neighbor standing with Kirkland. The victim was also smaller than Kirkland, whose booking sheet lists him at 6 feet, 1 inch tall and weighing 250 pounds.
When the victim got within 3 to 4 feet of the victim, witnesses heard a gunshot and then the victim said he could not believe Kirkland shot him, according to the affidavit. The victim returned to the side-by-side, drove a short distance and appeared to pass out. LCSO obtained a search warrant and found a gun with one spent casing in the chamber.
Kirkland was arrested for manslaughter and aggravated battery with a firearm and transported to the Lake County Jail, where he was released on $40,000 bond.
