In a shocking incident that has left the Mulberry community reeling, 28-year-old Victoria Dino, also known as Mary Victoria, was shot and killed early Thursday morning, October 31, 2024.
The tragic events unfolded after a heated argument escalated between two men, 35-year-old Joshua Clark and 34-year-old Jose Coronado, on Levins Road. According to Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, the confrontation had roots in a drug-related exchange involving methamphetamine, highlighting the dangers that can stem from such illicit activities.
Details of the Incident
Sheriff Judd provided a detailed account of the events leading up to the fatal shooting during a press conference later that day. Preliminary information indicates that the altercation began around 2:00 AM when Clark and Coronado met on Levins Road.
Witnesses reported that an argument erupted between the two men, which quickly escalated into violence. Victoria Dino was seated in Coronado’s car at the time, inadvertently caught in the middle of the chaos.
In a tragic turn of events, as Coronado attempted to defend himself after Clark allegedly approached with hostility, he reached for a firearm inside his vehicle.
Sheriff Judd explained that while retrieving the gun, it accidentally discharged, striking Dino in the chest. “It was a horrible, tragic accident,” Judd said, expressing condolences to Dino’s family. “She was an innocent victim in this situation, and it should never have happened.”
Aftermath and Emergency Response
Following the shooting, both men fled the scene after exchanging gunfire. In a desperate attempt to save her life, Coronado drove Dino to a nearby location on Ryals Road. There, he left her on the bed of a pickup truck, instructing bystanders to take her to the hospital.
Witnesses reported hearing Coronado urging them to hurry, expressing his fear of being apprehended due to an outstanding warrant for his arrest related to a previous drug trafficking charge.
“She was shot and needed immediate medical attention, and instead of staying with her, he left her to seek help,” Sheriff Judd stated, emphasizing Coronado’s lack of accountability in the critical moments following the shooting.
Despite the urgency, Dino succumbed to her injuries later at the hospital, prompting an outpouring of grief from friends and family who remembered her as a loving individual with a bright future.