Haines City police said they arrested a man charged with attempted murder after he shot his ex’s new boyfriend, blasting his finger off in the process.
According to the Haines City Police Department, the shooting took place at about 5:45 p.m. Sunday in the area of Tennessee Street.
Officers said J O M R, 40, had been going through “a difficult separation” with his former domestic partner of over 20 years, who broke up with him four months ago.
The suspect was alleged to have sent several messages to his ex after the break-up, which investigators said threatened “violence and death, including a picture of him holding a firearm.”
On Sunday, M R messaged his ex he would be coming to her house, arriving at 5:45 p.m.
When the occupants would not open the door, the suspect then removed a screen from a window in the back of the home and climbed into the residence.
Police said he confronted his ex and her new boyfriend, engaging in an argument that escalated into violence when M R shot the boyfriend in the hand, chest, shoulder, and grazed his head with a bullet.
“During the onslaught of rounds he was firing towards the victim, the suspect managed to
shoot off his own ring finger in the process,” a police report said. “This caused the suspect to drop the firearm and flee the residence on foot, leaving his vehicle behind.”
The suspect was eventually caught after a multi-agency search including the Haines City Police Department, Lake Alfred Police Department, and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, one of its K9s, K9 Reno, found Mendieta Romero hiding in some trees a mile away from the home.
While the male victim suffered serious injuries, he is expected to recover. The female victim in this case was not injured.
M R was charged with:
- Attempted first-degree murder
- Armed burglary with assault or battery
- Written threats to kill or injure,
- Unlawful use of a two-way communication device
- Resisting an officer without violence
In addition to these crimes, the suspect was said to be in the United States illegally as a Honduran national.
According to prior records, M R was previously trespassed from the victims’ home on Nov. 27 and told not to return. However, there were no document reports of the threats before the shooting, police said.
“Reporting threats, especially in domestic situations, is crucial to preventing violence and saving lives,” Chief G G said. “Often, the warning signs are there, but they go unreported out of fear, denial, or uncertainty. We urge everyone to take threats seriously and to trust that by coming forward, you’re helping protect yourself, your loved ones, and your community. We are very grateful that this situation wasn’t worse and that everyone is going to be okay. This is a reminder of how important it is to act quickly and decisively to prevent potential tragedies.”
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Source: wfla
