A 22-year-old convicted felon who was involved in a 2023 shooting near a gas station in Volusia County has been sentenced to more than three years in federal prison.
On Friday, December 13, 2024, DeLand resident Loveking Kitching was sentenced to three years and five months behind bars for possessing firearms and ammunition as a convicted felon. He was also ordered to forfeit the firearms and ammunition.
Kitching pleaded guilty to the charges in August.
According to court records, Kitching was riding as a passenger in a car on May 13, 2023, when he became involved in a shooting near a gas station in DeLand. Shortly after shots were fired, video surveillance footage captured Kitching exiting the car and entering the gas station’s convenience store while holding a loaded 9mm pistol.
When law enforcement officers arrived on scene, they recovered the pistol and additional unspecified evidence, which indicated that Kitching had exchanged gunfire with another individual outside the car.
During the incident, Kitching sustained gunshot wounds to his mouth and hand. Officers found shell casings in the vehicle where Kitching had been sitting, which indicated that he had also fired the pistol from inside the vehicle.
Later that year, on December 12, officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a vehicle that Kitching was driving. He refused to stop and led the officers on a chase that came to an end when he reached a dead end inside an industrial park.
When officers searched the path of the car chase, they located a cellphone belonging to Kitching and a loaded .40 caliber pistol. Forensic testing revealed that Kitching’s DNA and fingerprints were on the pistol.
In 2022, Kitching was convicted of multiple felonies. As a result, he is prohibited from possession a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with additional assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Deland Police Department, and the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Del Mastro.
Additionally, this case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, which is a program that brings together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence.