Ocala police investigate deadly shooting as possible case of self-defense

Ocala police are investigating a fight that led to a deadly shooting inside a bar Saturday night.

Investigators said three men were shot, one of them died.

That man has been identified as James Wallace, 56.

Police are still investigating and say the case may be ruled as self-defense.

“We don’t have any charges right now, and I don’t know that we are anticipating any based on the Florida Stand Your Ground Law,” Ocala police spokesperson Corie Byrd said.

Investigators said surveillance video inside the lounge shows what led up to this deadly fight.

They said the shooter was sitting at the bar when the three men came up and attacked him.

“[They] started punching him, kind of jumped him, assaulted him and then when the fight went to the ground, the shooter ended up firing shots,” Byrd said.

The shooter left the bar after the shooting. 

Police detained him shortly after.

“I had come by that evening,” the owner of a restaurant across the street said. “There was a lot of cops, a lot of rescue. They were all over the place here. I was shocked. That has always been a quiet bar, a place where people like to go and hang out. There has never been any problems over there.”

This case is still being investigated.

Ocala police say it could be weeks before it is officially deemed a Stand Your Ground case.