FORT LAUDERDALE – A man was shot and killed Thursday morning in Fort Lauderdale, leaving behind bullet holes in a van and a shaken community.
Police said it happened near Southwest 3rd Avenue and 16th Court.
“We heard gunshots, like five, six gunshots,” said Pedro Lopez, who was just steps away from the scene and had seen the victim moments before the fatal shots.
“The victim’s shop is right next to us, so as soon as we walked into our shop, he was walking out and then five seconds later we heard gunshots. You know, we just ducked down,” Lopez said.
Several neighbors also reported hearing the gunfire, describing the incident as disturbing and too close for comfort.
“I can’t get the shots out of my head. I can’t get the significant other’s screams out of my head,” said a neighbor who asked to remain anonymous. “It’s way too close to home, way too close to home.”
The neighbor said it appeared the gunman had been waiting for the victim, parking in a nearby lot just feet from the shooting location.
“That’s a car that never parks there, so I had my eye on him,” she said.
Surveillance footage may hold clues, with grainy video appearing to show a reddish car moving from the parking lot to the scene and quickly fleeing seconds after the shooting, according to witnesses.
“And then I ran out and he was literally at this stop sign, taking a right to peel away,” the neighbor said.
Fort Lauderdale police confirmed that the suspect left in a vehicle.
“We don’t believe this occurred in a drive-by fashion, but we do believe that a car was involved. The suspect or suspects did get away quickly in a vehicle,” said FLPD spokeswoman Carey Liening.
Police have not disclosed a motive for the shooting.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS.