A 37-year-old man died Wednesday night after a 22-year-old homeowner shot him inside a residence at Seminole Mobile Home Park in the 3300 block of Orange Avenue following a physical attack that stemmed from an ongoing dispute between the two men. St. Lucie County Sheriff Richard Del Toro said the men had exchanged threatening text messages and verbal arguments before the shooting occurred at 9:11 p.m.
The man who was killed knocked on the door, was let inside, then immediately pushed the homeowner and punched him twice in the midsection. The homeowner backed away, pulled out a 9 mm semi-automatic pistol, and shot the man once in the chest.
The man who was shot was taken to a local hospital, where he died from his injuries. The homeowner's sister and girlfriend were inside the home at the time and gave statements that corroborated his account of the incident. Investigators executed a search warrant at the residence and recovered the handgun. The sheriff said the suspect had a criminal history including drug-related charges, resisting officer charges, domestic violence-related charges, and three felony convictions.
No charges have been filed against the homeowner. The St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office is working with the State Attorney's Office to determine whether the shooting falls under Florida's stand your ground self-defense law. Del Toro said investigators worked nine hours at the scene, which was cleared shortly after 6 a.m.
Thursday. The name of the man who was killed has not been released.
Investigators described the shooting as an isolated incident and said there is no immediate threat to the surrounding community. Del Toro urged anyone who receives threats and believes a situation could escalate to contact law enforcement before violence occurs. The sheriff's office is asking anyone with information about the shooting to call 772-462-3230 or submit anonymous tips through Treasure Coast Crime Stoppers at 800-273-TIPS.