Police: Residential fire may be related to shooting investigation

The Ocala Police Department says that a call was received shortly after 2 a.m. on Tuesday from a citizen reporting a residential fire located on NW 1st Avenue.

This location was also the scene of an altercation and shooting on December 12th that ended with 18-year-old Marcus Cooper being critically injured and 18-year-old Jeffrey Scott being killed.

A Ocala Fire Rescue Arson Investigator and Ocala Police Detective have deemed this fire suspicious. 

The Ocala Police Department says that the shooting investigation is expected to conclude this week. 

Preliminary investigation has reportedly ruled the fire as an arson case. Police say that a resident of the home that was burned is involved in the shooting investigation. They believe the fire is directly related to the shooting. 

Both cases are currently under investigation.