LEESBURG, FL — A tragic shooting in Leesburg has left a 20-year-old man dead and an 18-year-old behind bars—after his own father brought him in to face justice.
The Leesburg Police Department has identified the victim of Friday night’s fatal shooting as Dontae D. Copeland, 20, of Leesburg. Officers responded to reports of gunfire around 7 p.m. in the 1000 block of Tuskegee Street, where they found Copeland suffering from at least one gunshot wound, according to LPD Lt. Shannon Walsh.
Emergency personnel rendered immediate aid and transported Copeland to UF Health Leesburg Hospital, but despite efforts to save him, he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.
As the investigation unfolded, Kameryn Pickard, 18, of Mount Dora, voluntarily came to the Leesburg Police Department with his father. Authorities say Pickard’s father turned him in after learning of his alleged involvement in the shooting. Pickard was taken into custody without incident and later charged with premeditated murder and criminal conspiracy to commit murder.
He is currently being held at the Lake County Jail without bond.
Officials have not yet released details about a possible motive or what led to the deadly encounter. The investigation is ongoing, and police say they are pursuing all leads to determine the full circumstances behind the shooting.
The Leesburg Police Department has commended the cooperation of Pickard’s family and urged anyone with additional information to come forward. “This case remains active,” said Lt. Walsh. “We are asking members of the community who may have seen or heard anything to contact us directly or through Crimeline.”
As the community grapples with the loss of a young life, Copeland’s family and friends are left mourning, and law enforcement continues working to bring closure and justice in the wake of a senseless tragedy.