Man shot after breaking into Fort Lauderdale Airbnb, getting into fight with person inside, police say
A man was hospitalized Thursday night after being shot during an apparent dispute inside a Fort Lauderdale Airbnb, prompting a police investigation that lasted for hours and left some neighbors questioning the safety of their community.
The shooting happened at a residence in the 800 block of Northwest 19th Avenue, where Fort Lauderdale police said a man suffered a gunshot wound to his upper body.
Officers and crime scene investigators spent hours collecting evidence and interviewing people inside the home. Yellow police tape restricted access to the area as detectives worked to determine what led to the shooting.
Police radio communications suggested that at least one person involved in the incident may have been armed with a rifle.
In one transmission, a dispatcher described a newer-model black Cadillac Escalade with dark-tinted windows and reported that one of its occupants had an AR-style pistol or rifle and a stolen handgun.
Another transmission indicated that a caller reported someone had entered the home with a weapon and shot the victim.
A man who identified himself as the homeowner declined an on-camera interview but told CBS News Miami that someone had entered the residence carrying a gun.
Authorities have not confirmed the circumstances described in the police radio communications, and it remains unclear who called 911.
Some residents say they're concerned about safety in the community
The shooting left nearby residents with differing views about the safety of their neighborhood.
Tiffany Johnson, who lives close to the home, said the incident was unusual for the community.
"It's never happened in this community, so I don't understand what's going on," Johnson told CBS News Miami.
Another woman, who agreed to speak on the condition that her identity not be revealed, expressed a different perspective.
"I don't feel that it's too safe, and I feel like the police need to do something about the situation," she said.
Another woman said she was still trying to understand what had happened just down the street from her home.
"I'm just trying to figure out myself what's going on," she said.
Additional police radio communications suggested that several people may have been in a black truck near the scene around the time of the shooting. Investigators have not publicly confirmed whether those individuals were involved.
Fort Lauderdale police described the shooting as an isolated incident, but that assurance did little to ease the concerns of the neighbor who questioned the area's safety.
"It's kind of scary to hear that somebody got shot right here down the street," she said.
Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue transported the wounded man to Broward Health Medical Center.
His identity has not yet been released since he is still hospitalized, but officials said he was in critical but stable condition after surgery.
Police also said that charges are pending.
No other information was released.