Port St. Lucie was shaken by a road rage incident that escalated into gunfire last Sunday. According to CBS12, the police responded to reports of shots being fired at the intersection of Southeast Crosstown Parkway and Southeast Sandia Drive. The victims, a male driver and a female passenger, were in their car when another driver opened fire on them. No injuries were reported, although the victims’ car sustained several bullet holes.
The investigation led to the arrest of Ali Sami Zaiter, 39, on counts of discharging a firearm in public space, shooting into an occupied vehicle, attempted felony murder, and tampering with evidence. According to information obtained by WPBF, detectives utilized various investigative methods to identify Zaiter’s vehicle, a gray Ford F-150 pickup truck, as the one involved in the shooting.
Zaiter's arrest occurred near his home at 222 SW Bridgeport Drive, with the assistance of the Port St. Lucie Police Department (PSLPD) SWAT team around 4:30 p.m. yesterday. The suspect vehicle was located at Zaiter's place of employment, Amethyst Recovery Center, and was towed as evidence. The PSLPD is still in the process of recovering additional evidence and has made a public appeal for anyone who may have witnessed the incident or possess video footage to come forward.
The attention to this case has been heightened due to the use of an AR-style rifle in the attack. "Detectives are still working to recover evidence," a PSLPD statement noted by WPBF, and the investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information on the incident is urged to contact the Port St. Lucie Police Department at (772) 871-5001 or Treasure Coast Crimestoppers at (800) 273-8477.
