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1 Dead, 1 Injured In Sarasota Shooting

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Sarasota Herald-Tribune

Published: March 7, 2009

Updated: 03/07/2009 04:11 pm

SARASOTA - A man was killed and a woman was shot multiple times this morning in a shooting at a Sarasota apartment.

Officers found Cornell Harris Jr., 21, dead in an apartment in the Sarasota Housing Authority complex at 1912 N. Orange Ave. The shooting occured at about 10 a.m.

The apartment's tenant, Whitney D. Torres, 20, had been shot multiple times and was flown to a St. Petersburg hospital, said Sarasota Police Capt. William Spitler.

No arrest has been made in the shooting.

Harris Jr. comes from a well-known boxing family in Sarasota and was at one time ranked 10th in the nation as a junior fighter in the 119-pound division.

The 2005 Booker High School graduate regularly trained at the Sarasota Boxing Club along with his brother, Darel Harris.

Their father, Cornell Harris, is a former professional boxer, wrestler and kickboxer.

Harris Jr. and Torres were apparently dating, Spitler said.

A small child was also in the apartment at the time of the shooting and has since been handed over to family members, Spitler said. The child was not injured.

Torres — who graduated in 2007 from the Cyesis Teen Parent Program — is listed in serious but stable condition at Bayfront Medical Center.

"They are operating on her and are hopeful that she will survive," Spitler said.

Detectives have leads in the case and are continuing to interview nearby residents and family members.

The motive for the shooting is unclear.

"Anything at this point would only be an educated guess," Spitler said.

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