Deputies: Woman shot, killed Wednesday near Union Park

A 46-year-old woman was shot and killed Wednesday in her mobile home near Union Park in what deputies believe was an accidental shooting, according to the Orange County Sheriff ’s Office.

Deputies responded about 8 p.m. to the Downey Hill Mobile Home park in the 9000 block of Downey Hill Street and found Micaela Martinez with a gunshot wound. She was taken to Florida Hospital East and pronounced dead, deputies said.

Orange County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Ingrid TejadaMonforte said Martinez was at home with her husband and two of her grown children when she was struck with a stray bullet from outside.

Tejada-Monforte said the mobile home park is near a wooded area, and deputies believe someone was target shooting or “goofing around with their weapons” when the bullet was fired.

“Now, we have a family that does not have a mother and does not have a wife,” Tejada-Monforte said.

Tejada-Monforte said the person who shot the gun might not even be aware the death happened. She said the Sheriff ’s Office needs the public to come forward if they saw anyone in the area around the time of the shooting.

“The family needs closure. We need to know what occurred,” Tejada-Monforte said.

Tejada-Monforte said gun owners should go to designated areas, such as gun ranges, to fire weapons instead of illegally discharging firearms near inhabited areas.

“It’s tough to think that you can be in your own home and something like this can happen because someone was being irresponsible,” Tejada Monforte said.

The investigation is ongoing, deputies said. No other details were released. Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call Crimeline at 1-800-423-8477. There is a $5,000 reward for tips that lead to an arrest. Staff Writers Isabelle D’Antonio and David Harris contributed to this report. cdoornbos@orlandosentinel.com or 407-650-6931