Teen shot Vero Beach man in defense of another person in Humiston Beach lot, police say

Corey Arwood, Treasure Coast Newspapers
·2 min read
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VERO BEACH − A 17-year-old who police say shot a Vero Beach man will not be charged with a crime after prosecutors determined the teen fired the weapon in an attempt to defend someone during a fight in a beach parking lot.

The man who was shot, 19, remained hospitalized in stable condition Monday, while a police official said detectives continued investigating circumstances of the altercation between two large groups gathered at Humiston Beach Park early Sept. 3.

"Other people in the fight could face charges," said Vero Beach police spokesperson Officer Kelsea Marty.

Street parking is seen at right in a drone aerial photo Friday, April 12, 2019, along Ocean Drive near the playground at Humiston Park in Vero Beach.
Street parking is seen at right in a drone aerial photo Friday, April 12, 2019, along Ocean Drive near the playground at Humiston Park in Vero Beach.

Police were sent to the 3000 block of Ocean Drive at roughly 2 a.m. and found the 19-year-old with a gunshot wound to his abdomen, according to fire rescue and police officials.

Details about exactly what happened, people involved, including how many or their residences, were not disclosed. Police cited the ongoing investigation as to why they would not release details of the shooting.

Of the two groups, Marty said the one that included the wounded teen was made up of local men who lived in an area of west Vero Beach within city limits.

The 19-year-old was taken by ambulance to Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital and from there flown to HCA Florida Lawnwood Hospital in Fort Pierce, said Indian River County Fire Rescue Assistant Fire Chief Steve Greer.

Marty said police knew everyone thought to be involved in the scenario, which, she said, was not drug-related.

She has said Humiston has been a park where "a lot of juveniles will hang out," but without violence. It's on the police watch list at night.

She said detectives are working with the state attorney's office to develop charges for others among the two groups.

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Corey Arwood is a breaking news reporter for TCPalm. Follow Corey on X, formerly Twitter, @coreyarwood, or reach him by phone at 772-978-224

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Teen shot man in Humiston Beach lot defending another, police say