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Third Victim Dies In Lake Butler Area Shootings

LAKE BUTLER (AP) A third victim has died following the shootings of former trucking company colleagues by a 72-year north Florida man.

A Union County sheriff's spokesman says David Griffis died Tuesday, three days after he was shot in the stomach by Hubert Allen Jr.

Investigators say Allen drove to a location owned by the trucking company's founder on Saturday. He shot and killed a former co-worker, and then went a short distance and killed the trucking company's owner. Authorities say he then pulled over where another former co-worker was driving a farm tractor, exchanged words with him and fired a shotgun.

Allen then went to the company's headquarters in Lake Butler and shot Griffis before killing himself.

Lt. Lyn Williams says Griffis was 44.

WUFT News spoke with Anthony Bailey, who turned out to give blood because he worked with Griffis. Bailey said he also knew all the others killed or hurt in the shooting.

"I dont know how to explain it," Bailey said. "It's terrible. That's all I can say. It's terrible."

The community is still in shock over the weekend shooting, he said. The flag in front of the Union County Courthouse in Lake Butler was raised at half-staff Tuesday. The courthouse will close Friday for the funeral service of Marvin Pritchett, the owner of Pritchett Trucking Inc.

"I guess they're just trying to cope with what happened," Bailey said. "It was bad. I mean, we'd never expect something like this to happen."

Pritchett's funeral will be held at First Christian Church in Lake Butler on Friday at 2 p.m.

Donna Green-Townsend contributed reporting.

Amber is a reporter for WUFT News and can be contacted by calling 352-392-6397 or emailing news@wuft.org.
Wade is a reporter for WUFT News who may be contacted by calling 352-392-6397 or emailing news @wuft.org
The Associated Press is a wire service to which WUFT News subscribes.