In a harrowing incident over the weekend in Port St. Lucie, police shot and killed a man after he allegedly restrained his wife with zip ties, threatened to burn his house down with his family inside, and confronted officers with a propane tank and lighter. The Port St. Lucie Police Department identified the man as 50-year-old Paul Simon Fialho, as reported by WPTV.
The ordeal began on Saturday afternoon when police were called to the residence following a 911 call made by the grandmother of Fialho's three children, according to TCPalm. The children, 6-year-old triplets, were heard yelling that "daddy was hitting mommy" and that "mommy was not OK." Upon arrival, officers had to climb over a minivan to enter the home, only to encounter the dangerous scenario.
Assistant Chief Leo Niemczyk stated in WPTV that the scene was a "very violent, volatile situation," adding that he believed Fialho's intention was to kill everyone in the house. Officers Christina Horne, Cody Daignault, and Sgt. Sal Garcia, a SWAT sniper, confronted Fialho in the garage of the home, now converted to a living area. Fialho, upon initially releasing the woman after police orders, returned to arm himself with a propane tank, refusing to follow subsequent instructions from the officers.
"He orders the suspect to free her. He does, but then he arms himself with an actively running propane tank and a lighter," Niemczyk told TCPalm. Despite orders to drop the items and get on the ground, Fialho did not comply, prompting Sgt. Garcia to fire multiple shots, ultimately leading to Fialho's death. The officers quickly evacuated the house, which was filled with the smell of gas.
The woman and her children were safely removed from the home, with the mother sustaining minor injuries. The officers were also unharmed and have since been placed on paid administrative leave, which is standard procedure in officer-involved shootings. Neighbors expressed their distress over the incident, with one, Tim Bhagwandin, lamenting the impact on the children and recalling past domestic disputes involving Fialho. Authorities have found additional propane tanks and gas cans in the residence, suggestive of an attempted arson. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is now leading the investigation into the shooting.
