Accused killer, victim in PSL shooting belong to rival motorcycle gangs, police said
PORT ST. LUCIE − Keith Ivan Johnson told a man he was afraid something bad was going to happen to him that night.
It wouldn’t be long before Johnson, 39, of Port St. Lucie, was dead on a road behind Harpers Pub with multiple bullet wounds, and his accused assailant, identified as a member of a rival motorcycle gang, fled police on a Harley Davidson at speeds thought to be over 100 mph on Southeast Port St. Lucie Boulevard, according to an affidavit.
Elijah Inchauteguiz, 25, of Port St. Lucie, was taken into custody on Southwest Citrus Boulevard after his motorcycle engine “blew” and investigators saw a suspected “sawed off” shotgun in a motorcycle saddle bag, his arrest affidavit states. Inchauteguiz ultimately was arrested on charges of murder and fleeing and eluding.
Harpers Pub is in a plaza at Southeast Port St. Lucie and Southeast Morningside boulevards west of U.S. 1.
Inchauteguiz was identified in his arrest affidavit as a documented member of a “1% (One Percenter)” motorcycle gang. Those clubs refer to outlaw motorcycle clubs because the other 99 percent of motorcycle riders are law-abiding people, records state.
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Johnson, with a .45-caliber pistol next to him, was a member of a rival gang, according to police.
He’d been shot five times at close range, including in the heart, an affidavit states. Johnson’s black T-shirt read, “(Expletive) the other team, support the outlaws,” records show.
The case appeared to begin about 1 a.m. Sunday when a person at Harpers Pub called and requested police. A man thought there was going to be trouble in the bar. He said he was in the restroom and heard people talking, saying there was going to be trouble because a motorcycle gang member was present and shouldn’t be.
“He also indicated there were gang members coming in that he’s never seen before,” an affidavit states.
One person noted to officers the people he was concerned about were at the bar.
At 2:02 a.m., another person reported to 911 hearing about 10 shots at the back of Harpers.
An officer heard the gunfire, and people in the area reported the shooter was fleeing on a motorcycle. A pickup was following.
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Earlier at Harpers
Police reviewed interior cameras and reported Johnson entered earlier. Inchauteguiz and at least one other person also could be seen. As Johnson moved around inside the bar and when he went out, Inchauteguiz and at least one other person followed and watched him, including in the minutes before the shooting.
Portions of the affidavit are heavily redacted.
Johnson left the pub through a rear door at 1:58 a.m. Seconds later, Inchauteguiz exited behind him. Johnson walked out of camera view toward his truck.
Inchauteguiz “enters a position of cover” behind a vehicle and it appeared he was getting a gun from his waistband. He moved to another vehicle before Johnson approached the street.
Eventually, Inchauteguiz and other men started approaching Johnson as he backpedaled toward his truck.
Johnson stepped out of camera view followed by all but one of the men. Seconds later, all the men ran back and fled in a number of vehicles, including two trucks and three motorcycles.
About 27 seconds later, police showed up.
A man driving a pickup truck that police said followed Inchauteguiz was taken into custody on a violation of probation warrant.
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‘A bad feeling’
A man told investigators he’d known Johnson for 10 to 15 years. He said Johnson and two of his friends came to Harpers from another nearby pub that closed earlier in the evening.
“Keith told (redacted) he had a bad feeling because the three men from the (motorcycle) gang had been stalking him the last few days and now they were here in the bar,” an affidavit states.
That’s what prompted a call to 911 as a precaution, but at the time there apparently were no problems.
In an interview with police, one person reported Johnson told him he was afraid something bad was going to happen to him that night.
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A witness said he heard several gunshots, and looked over and saw a man with a gun. He said he saw the man shooting at Johnson.
Police followed Inchauteguiz’s motorcycle west and south through the city before it crossed Southwest Becker Road onto Southwest Citrus Boulevard and into Martin County.
He was taken into custody after the engine “blew.”
The witness about 6:45 a.m. Sunday positively identified Inchauteguiz as the shooter.
A test found gunshot residue on Inchauteguiz’s right hand.
Will Greenlee is a breaking news reporter for TCPalm. Follow Will on Twitter @OffTheBeatTweet or reach him by phone at 772-267-7926. E-mail him at will.greenlee@tcpalm.com
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Man found dead behind Harpers Pub ID'd as Port St. Lucie man
