A tragic scene unfolded on North Australian Avenue in West Palm Beach where a former City of Riviera Beach employee, Christopher McCullon, 52, is accused of shooting his co-worker multiple times before stomping on his head. The violent attack, which occurred near a children's Halloween event at Gaines Park, has resulted in McCullon facing attempted murder charges. As reported by CBS 12, the West Palm Beach Police Department responded to the incident last Sunday at about 6:20 p.m. after reports of gunfire.
The victim, identified as Courtney Cross, 44, was discovered by police in serious condition with wounds to his face, leg, abdomen, and chest. Despite his injuries, Cross was able to clearly tell authorities that Christopher had shot him. The altercation seems to have been motivated by disputes at work, leading possibly to a near termination for Cross. A witness described the moment, saying he saw McCullon stand on top of the victim and unload that gun in that man, recounted by WPBF.
McCullon, who was on administrative leave with pay at the time of the attack due to the reported workplace confrontations, has been placed under arrest. Riviera Beach city officials had cited McCullon for using offensive and abusive language, engaging in verbal harassment, and making threats against a coworker. Court documents obtained by CBS 12 indicate that the victim was running from McCullon, who chased him with a handgun, firing multiple times until the ammunition was exhausted.
The West Palm Beach Police spokesperson, Mike Jachles, told WPBF, "The victim was chased by the suspect, was shot, stomped on, pistol whipped." Nearby officers, initially present at a Halloween event for children, heard the shots and quickly responded to the scene. McCullon is now being held without bond at the Palm Beach County jail. His family has made a statement, declaring that they could not comment on the arrest.
Currently hospitalized, Cross remains in serious condition following the attack. The investigation is ongoing as law enforcement officials seek to fully understand the motivations behind this assault and the exact sequence of events that led up to it.
