Photo by: Joseph Woodward (WPLG/MDCR)
Miami police arrested a 43-year-old liveaboard boater who they said was responsible for a vessel-to-vessel shooting at a Coconut Grove marina that left a fellow liveaboard injured.
The shooting happened just before 5 p.m. Monday in the waters off Dinner Key Marina, located at 3400 Pan American Drive.
According to an arrest report, it all began with a dispute over some items that the suspect, Joseph Randall Woodward, left on the victim’s boat.
The victim told police that he’s known Woodward for a few months and had just returned from a trip to find that Woodward had been on his boat and left his “paraphernalia and paperwork” inside, the report states.
The report states that the victim told investigators he packed Woodward’s belongings, got on a dinghy and went to Woodward’s boat, tossing Woodward’s belongings aboard.
According to police, Woodward exited his boat, pulled out a black rifle and fired three rounds, hitting the victim in the abdomen and grazing his right arm.
“The victim stated he ducked down for cover in his dinghy and fled from the scene, at which time (Woodward) dropped the rifle on the boat and began chasing the victim in his dinghy,” the report states. “(Woodward) was able to catch up to the victim and grab him by his shirt, at which time the victim grabbed a flashlight and struck (Woodward) in the face, causing (him) to release his grip. The victim then reached the shoreline, where he sought police assistance.”
Police said that Woodward told them he was eating cereal on his boat when he “heard a commotion inside.”
He claimed, according to police, that when he got out, the victim threw a flashlight at him.
According to the report, Woodward said he “then chased after the victim briefly before returning to his boat,” telling police that he saw that the man was bleeding, “but did not know the reason.”
Police said that Woodward “denied shooting the victim.”
Authorities arrested Woodward on charges of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and using a firearm in the commission of a felony.
As of Tuesday afternoon, he was being held in the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center with a bond listed as “to be set” in online records.
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Source: Local10
