Off The Beat: Does God shoot guns in Fort Pierce?

Will Greenlee | Treasure Coast Newspapers

FORT PIERCE — Does God shoot guns?

A 26-year-old man blamed God for gunfire on Nov. 9 as Fort Pierce police investigated reports of shooting activity, an arrest affidavit states.

The case began about 1:30 a.m. as officers went to the area of North 16th Street and Avenue O after reports of shooting activity.

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Someone identified a specific apartment in the 1500 block of Avenue O, where police noticed a 9mm cartridge casing on the front porch.

When police knocked on the door, the 26-year-old man opened it. He said he couldn’t come out because of his babies, referring to his dogs.

He eventually told police that the apartment was his. Asked whether he was firing a weapon, the man said, “My God was shooting.” He also said he was shooting.

Police inquired whether he was shooting at someone or in the air.

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“My God was shooting,” the man said, apparently not referencing a specific deity.

Police reported the man was “very intoxicated.”

Investigators discovered the man’s brother and two others also in the apartment.

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They also found a 9mm handgun, which is a 9mm gun fired in the hand, on the kitchen counter, and a shotgun.

Police asked the man whether the guns were his.

“Ten out of 10 yes,” the man said.

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He had “no idea” when he purchased the firearms, although he said it was this year.

There apparently was no divine intervention as police arrested the man, a Fort Pierce resident, on a misdemeanor charge of firing a weapon in public.