PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — A South Florida man is accused of punching and then shooting a repossession agent who was attempting to pick up his vehicle, authorities said.
According to a news release from the Port St. Lucie Police Department, Omar Sueque, 59, of Port St. Lucie, was arrested Thursday. He was charged with one count of attempted homicide and one count of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.
On Thursday, officers with the Port St. Lucie Police Department responded to a residence on Southwest Villanova at about 12:20 p.m. EST after receiving several 911 calls, Treasure Coast Newspapers reported.
Investigators said that at some point during the repossession, Sueque, who owned the vehicle that was being repossessed, exited his Port St. Lucie residence and approached the 28-year-old repossession agent, who was sitting in his tow truck in the driveway of the residence.
Sueque allegedly punched the tow truck driver through an open window, Sgt. Dominick Mesiti, a police spokesperson, told reporters. A neighbor recorded part of the confrontation on her cellphone, according to WPBF-TV.
Sueque allegedly punched the tow truck driver through an open window, Sgt. Dominick Mesiti, a police spokesperson, told reporters. The tow truck driver jumped out of his vehicle and followed the suspect toward the resident’s garage, according to WPBF.
The suspect then armed himself with a handgun and allegedly shot the agent several times, according to Treasure Coast Newspapers.
Port St. Lucie police Chief Richard Del Toro said the repossession agent was shot six times point blank, WPTV reported.
“We’re fortunate this didn’t end in a fatality,” Del Toro told the television station. “I mean six times, it’s just amazing.”
The agent was able to get into his tow truck and drive around the corner, where he called 911, according to Treasure Coast Newspapers. He was airlifted to HCA Florida Lawnwood Hospital in Fort Pierce and was in stable condition.
Repossessions Inc. owner Bill Kelly of Fort Pierce watched the video and told WPTV that he was surprised that the tow truck driver followed Sueque.
“What did he get out of the car for and chase the guy? He should have just continued with what he was doing and left,” Kelly told the television station. “I’ve had people, a pregnant woman, lay down between the car and the tow truck. Obviously, you get out of Dodge, you don’t want to be involved in a situation like that.”
Repo driver sustains six gunshot wounds in encounter at residence in Port St. Lucie https://t.co/A6YA9RdvnI
— TCPalm (@TCPalm) January 26, 2024
Del Toro said the actions of the repossession agent will also be considered in the department’s investigation.
“We’ve reviewed it with the State Attorney’s Office as we were going through the investigation,” Del Toro told WPTV. “So, we’re going to take that all into consideration.”
On Friday, a judge ordered Sueque to have no contact with the victim, WPBF reported. He was granted a $105,000 bond on the aggravated battery charge, but was not given a bond for the attempted homicide charge, according to the television station.
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