A Hallandale Beach man has been apprehended in the Florida Keys after a confrontation at a motel where he threatened a woman with a gun. The incident occurred around 1 a.m. last Friday at the Big Pine Motel. John Fitzpatrick, 41, faces charges including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and possession of a firearm by a felon, as reported by WSVN.
The situation escalated quickly, with the woman in a vehicle in the motel parking lot when Fitzpatrick brandished a firearm. Deputies, responding to her reported fear of being shot, were informed by the victim that he had proclaimed his dangerousness, according to what she told deputies, as per information obtained by CBS Miami. A loaded handgun was found in Fitzpatrick's possession when he was arrested after attempting to flee and pull away during the process.
Fitzpatrick's charges are numerous and include battery, resisting arrest, and altering the identification of a weapon. The Monroe County Sheriff's Office has confirmed that the distressed woman was also subjected to physical contact beyond the firearm threat, stating she was grabbed, her dress was torn, and her breasts were groped by Fitzpatrick.
Booked into jail at 2:40 a.m. last Friday, Fitzpatrick remains in custody on a series of charges, detailed by CBS Miami, with an arraignment scheduled for May 22. While the deputies confronted Fitzpatrick, running away, he tried, but was eventually apprehended. No injuries were reported from the unsettling encounter that unfolded at 30725 Overseas Highway in Big Pine Key.
