INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Deputies were at the scene of a shooting Thursday where a man was struck twice by gunfire and taken to a trauma center. The string of events leading up to the shooting were described as a possible armed burglary.
Deputies went to a home about 6 p.m. Thursday in the 300 block of 14th Place Southwest in response to a burglary in progress. A man who lives at the home told deputies he was asleep in the back of the residence when he woke up to the sound of his door being kicked in, according to preliminary information from the Sheriff’s Office.
The man retrieved a firearm and went to confront the suspect. The man and suspect, who also had a gun, exchanged gunfire. The suspect was shot twice and the resident was not hurt, said Indian River County Sheriff’s spokesman Eric Flowers.
The suspect ran and collapsed in the roadway in front of the home. He was still lying on the road when deputies arrived on scene.
The suspect was taken by ambulance to Lawnwood Regional Medical Center & Heart Institute in Fort Pierce. He has nonlife-threatening injuries and is expected to survive, Flowers said.
Deputies recovered the guns of the suspect and resident at the home. Further details on the suspect and resident are not being released at this time and it’s unknown if the two knew each other.
Deputies are interviewing the resident at the Sheriff’s Office and are working to get a search warrant for the home. They also are looking for a person of interest in connection with the shooting and will be at the scene for several hours.
Details on if anyone else was at the home at the time of the shooting were not available.
Deputies were still interviewing witnesses late Thursday. More information on the shooting is expected to be released Friday.
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IRCSO Spokesman Eric Flowers talks about shooting in the 300 block of 14th Place SW
Posted by Nick Samuel on Thursday, February 1, 2018
Witnesses Reaction
Nearly 10 to 15 neighbors came out of their homes as they saw flashing patrol lights, an ambulance and a Sheriff’s Office crime scene van drive down the street.
The Wetherell family said they heard the gunshots and live two houses down from where the shooting took place.
“I heard several shots. My wife and I looked at each other,” said David Wetherell. His wife, Elizabeth, said she heard gunshots, a pause, and then several more gunshots.
“It could’ve been us,” Elizabeth Wetherell said. “This is a pretty peaceful area. Neighbors are wondering why the home was targeted.”
The Wetherell family has lived in the area for 12 years and said shootings are uncommon. They said two young men who are brothers live at the home and have resided there for about a year.
David Wetherell said there’s no unusual activity at the home and he only knows the residents as acquaintances.
.@IRCSheriff deputies on scene of shooting in the 300 block of 14th Place Southwest. One person taken to trauma center. No word yet on their condition. Stay tuned. pic.twitter.com/9dfialhDxh
— Nicholas Samuel (@JournalistNickS) February 2, 2018
This story will be updated.
