Threatening male begins beating up Florida mobile homeowner, but victim pulls gun, fires once — 'and the threat was over'

A Florida male threatened and began beating up a homeowner in a Fort Pierce mobile home park earlier this week, but police said the victim pulled a gun, fired once, and ended the threat.

The shooting occurred at 9 p.m. Wednesday at the Seminole Mobile Home Park, WPEC-TV reported.

The sheriff told WFLX-TV the victim 'shot the suspect ... point blank in the chest.'

St. Lucie County Sheriff Richard R. Del Toro told the station the two men knew each other and had been involved in a dispute that included verbal arguments and threatening text messages.

Investigators said the 37-year-old suspect — who has yet to be identified — made several threats before showing up at the home of the 22-year-old man, WPEC noted.

Deputies said the 37-year-old knocked on the front door and was let inside before a brawl broke out, the station said.

Investigators said the suspect pushed the 22-year-old homeowner and punched him several times in the stomach, WPEC reported.

"The victim disengaged ... pulled out a handgun, shot one time, and the threat was over," Del Toro told the station.

The sheriff told WFLX-TV the victim "shot the suspect ... point blank in the chest."

The suspect was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead, WPEC reported.

"It's not fair, because my son has no father now. He's 5 years old, and what am I gonna tell him? We didn't even get to say goodbye," Naomi Pallarez, the girlfriend of the man who died, told WPEC.

Del Toro told WPEC the homeowner remained at the scene and cooperated with investigators; the homeowner's girlfriend and sister also were inside the residence and provided corroborating statements.

Deputies recovered the handgun after executing a search warrant at the residence, WPEC said.

No charges have been filed against the homeowner, WPEC reported, adding that investigators are working with the State Attorney's Office to determine if the shooting falls under Florida's stand-your-ground self-defense law.

"Obviously, you have to be in defense of yourself, but at the same time, you have to be in fear for your life anytime you're going to use deadly force," Del Toro added to the station.

More from WPEC:

The sheriff said the suspect had a criminal history, including drug-related and resisting-officer charges, domestic violence-related charges, and three felony convictions. He stressed that the man's criminal history was not a reason for him to be killed.

The suspect's name has not been released because investigators have not yet notified his next of kin, WPEC said.

"I am very much heartbroken," Pallarez told WPEC. "And now I'm a single mom."

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