The Flagler Beach Police Department and the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office are investigating what they are terming the “suspicious” shooting of a Palm Coast man on State Road A1A early this morning. The man survived and was taken to Halifax hospital in Daytona Beach.
A release issued by Flagler Beach police in early afternoon, but with limited information, states the victim is a Hispanic man in his early 50s who sustained “a single, non-life-threatening gunshot wound to the right arm” at 1:30 a.m. in the 300 block of North Oceanshore Boulevard (A1A). “However, due to the victim leaving the scene, a large crime scene has been identified and canvassed,” the release states without indicating where the victim was found.
There were unconfirmed reports that an injured individual had been found at the work site of the Margaritaville hotel in the morning.
“Our department, along with assistance from our local partners at the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Unit, are working in unison to piece together exactly what happened and who the suspect shooter is,” Acting Chief Lance Blanchette is quoted as saying in the release. (Chief Matt Doughney is on leave.)
He referred to the incident as a “complex case,” with no further comment until “we get a better understanding of the facts and circumstances.” A sheriff’s spokesman referred inquiries back to Flagler Beach. Blanchette had not responded to an email before this article initially published.
“There were several people in the vicinity of the shooter/victim, and we are attempting to make identifications at this time,” Blanchette said in the release. “We’re committed to finding the suspect and gaining the full details of the events leading up to the shooting.”
It is the second shooting in Flagler Beach since early May, when an 18-year-old man was shot in the arm near the city’s fire department. Then as well, several people were in the vicinity of the shooter and the victim, and several were interviewed. There have been no charges announced since, though a few weeks ago Doughney said charges had been forwarded to the State Attorney’s Office for review. “It’s over, it’s done,” Doughney said on July 27. He said it involved “probably one” individual.
Flagler Beach police is requesting the public’s help in case anyone has information about this morning’s shooting.
