A man shot and injured his young nephews, according to family members, before he turned the gun on himself in a Hollywood neighborhood.
Hollywood Police and Fire Rescue units responded to the scene of the incident along the 5800 block of McKinley Street on Thursday afternoon after they received a call about a shooting at around 4:25 p.m.
Responding officers arrived to find the man and his nephews, ages 15 and 21, suffering from gunshot wounds.
7Skyforce captured multiple Hollywood Police cruisers on the roadway in front of the home, which was completely surrounded by crime scene tape.
Detectives later identified the man as 53-year-old Tony Wierzba.
Hours later, 7News cameras captured friends and family members outside home, as they tried to make sense of the tragedy.
“He was a great guy, just under a lot of pressure, a lot of stress,” said Eddie Bruns, a friend of Wierzba.
“He’s such a laid-back guy. I mean, it’s crazy that he did this,” said Dean Gregorio, another friend.
Loved ones remain mystified. His mother was among those who gathered outside the residence, Thursday night.
Fire rescue officials said they pronounced Wierzba dead and transported the two surviving victims to the trauma center at Memorial Regional Hospital.
As of Thursday night, the nephews are listed in critical condition. Loved ones identified the younger victim as Alex.
“Disbelief, just disbelief,” said Bruns.
“It doesn’t seem right, it just doesn’t, ’cause he would call me to talk to me if he was down or depressed,” said Gregorio. “I know he’s been going through problems and everything. It’s just – I don’t know why he snapped; that’s unusual for him.”
Officers blocked off the intersection of North 58th Avenue and McKinley Street, while investigators said they interviewed witnesses.
Area residents shared their concerns.
“I’ve been here in Florida a year and a half now, and I’ve heard of three shooting on the blocks that I’ve been. You know, it’s crazy” said Chad Premo.
“That is my bus stop. I’ve got to come in tomorrow; that’s just crazy,” said Victor Mott. ‘That, honestly, just scares me a little bit.”
“Very sad for the loss, you know,” said another area resident.
After nightfall, more friends and neighbors received word of the shooting. They said they’re praying for the nephews’ recovery but will be haunted by all that they did not know.
“This was not seen coming, that’s for sure,” said Bruns. “You don’t know what people are going through in their life.”
It remains unclear how the shooting transpired, as police continue to investigate.
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Source: wsvn
