Regional law enforcement located and arrested two suspects who were allegedly involved with the shooting death of a 23-year-old man in Lake City on Monday.

According to a Lake City Police Department (LCPD) release sent Wednesday morning, law enforcement located, interviewed and arrested Justin Torres, 26, of Wellborn and Kendall Todd Doty, 25, of Lake City and charged them with the murder of Cristopher Alid Cruz Aleman.

The shooting occurred on Monday evening when LCPD officers responded to reports of gunfire on NW Ashley Street at 9:51 p.m.  

When officers arrived, they found Aleman suffering from a gunshot wound and a witness attempting cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Emergency responders took over, but Aleman died of his injuries.

Investigators from the LCPD and State Attorney’s Office spoke with the victim’s family and potential witnesses.

LCPD detectives, with assistance from the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, Suwannee County Sheriff’s Office and special agents from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, focused on two persons of interest early in the investigation – Torres and Doty – and took them into custody without incident.

“I would like to personally thank State Attorney John Durrett, Sheriff Mark Hunter, Sheriff Emery Gainey and the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office Bomb Squad, Sheriff Sam St. John, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the men and women of these agencies for their assistance,” said Lake City Chief of Police Gerald Butler in the press release. “The first 24 hours after this tragic incident, hundreds of hours of manpower were put into this investigation and arrests were made. I would like to reassure the citizens of Lake City this incident was not a random act of violence. Mr. Cruz Aleman was the specific target of these two individuals.”

Anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to contact LCPD at 386-752-4343. Anonymous tips can be sent to Crime Stoppers at 386-754-7099 or online at columbiacrimestoppers.net.