An armed bystander is in custody after a dramatic confrontation with two robbers outside a 7-Eleven in Dania Beach Saturday evening left one suspect dead and another hospitalized, authorities said.
Cellphone footage captured multiple gunshots ringing out near the store at 667 Stirling Road just before 7 p.m. Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies said the bystander intervened after witnessing two masked men holding up the cashier.
As the suspects fled, one carrying the cash register, the bystander fired at them, striking one suspect who fell to the ground. The second suspect then jumped into an SUV and attempted to run over the bystander. In fear for his life, the bystander fired multiple shots through the vehicle’s windshield, hitting the driver.
The suspect’s SUV was later located a few blocks away on the 100 block of Phippen Waiters Road. He was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. The surviving suspect was also transported to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Witnesses at the scene were split over the bystander’s actions. Some supported the intervention, with one telling 7News, “Yeah, he ain’t wrong. I seen it, I seen it.” Others expressed concern about escalating violence, noting that the area is typically calm.
As of Sunday night, authorities had not provided updates on the condition of the surviving suspect or the status of the detained bystander. The investigation remains ongoing.
