Witnesses Say Racial Slur Could Have Sparked Shooting at Sanford Apartments

Witnesses say a shooting at a Sanford apartment complex that led to one man being arrested and the other critically injured, could have started from a racial comment.

Police said Corey Michael Rose, 30, was in an altercation with Brandon Long at the Cedar Creek Apartments around 5 p.m. Monday.

Witnesses said Long, who is African-American, according to police reports, called Rose, who is white, a racial slur before hitting Rose in the face with his .40 caliber Glock.

“He came from behind the guy and pistol-whipped him and the man was bloody,” said witness Browdy Smith.

Police said Long pointed the gun at Rose. Rose pulled out a gun from his pants and the two hid behind cars. Rose then sought out Long and shot him multiple times, according to the police report.

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Rose has been charged with attempted first degree murder, criminal attempt to solicit conspire and carrying a concealed weapon.

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Witnesses said from what they saw, Rose acting in self-defense.

“I hate to see him go to jail, because that was self defense,” Smith said.

But Sanford Police Sgt. Dave Morgenstern said the chain of events doesn’t exactly point to a self-defense claim.

“It’s not really self defense whenever you go chase the person down who’s hiding behind a car, you go around the car and fire more shots at the person, that’s not self defense,” Morgenstern said.

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[Editor’s Note: Be sure to watch the video available at the original article link below.]