A late-night pizza run at a Belle Glade corner store erupted into gunfire early Saturday, leaving one man riddled with bullets and another now accused of trying to kill him, according to investigators.
Deputies say the chaos unfolded inside Bobby Market, where surveillance video and witness accounts show shots ringing out as a customer bent down to grab a dropped pizza box. The wounded man fled the store seeking help, then was rushed away and later airlifted to a trauma center in West Palm Beach.
The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office reports the shooting happened around 2:50 a.m. at Bobby Market at 340 SW Sixth Street. When deputies arrived, the victim was already gone, having left in search of medical help. He was taken first to Lakeside Medical Center in Belle Glade, then airlifted to St. Mary’s Medical Center in West Palm Beach for surgery. Investigators told reporters he was listed in critical but stable condition, as reported by CBS12.
How Local Hospitals Split The Emergency Load
St. Mary’s Medical Center is a major trauma hub for the region and handles complex, life-threatening injuries, while Lakeside Medical Center serves as the primary acute-care hospital for the Glades community. According to St. Mary’s Medical Center and the Health Care District of Palm Beach County, the two facilities cover different levels of emergency and trauma care for area patients.
What Cameras Caught Inside The Store
Investigators say surveillance footage shows a second man walking in behind the customer who was there to pick up a pizza. That man appears to knock the pizza box to the floor, then bend down and fire a handgun at close range.
Deputies say they recovered at least eight 9mm shell casings, with one found outside the store and seven inside. The scene inside Bobby Market was described as chaotic: a pizza box and receipt on the floor, soda bottles knocked over, and evidence of the frantic moments that followed. Surveillance video also shows the shooter running from the store immediately after the attack, investigators said, per CBS12.
Suspect On Probation Now Facing Attempted Murder Charge
Detectives identified the suspect as 27-year-old Joseph Lee-Tucker Jr. According to the probable-cause affidavit, Lee-Tucker was on probation following a 2025 robbery conviction and was barred from possessing firearms.
Authorities say he now faces an attempted first-degree premeditated murder charge, along with potential probation-violation counts tied to the case. Under Florida law, attempted first-degree or attempted felony murder can be charged as a first-degree felony and may carry penalties up to life in prison, and separate statutes allow sentence enhancements when a firearm is used; see the Florida Senate and Syfert for more on the statutes and possible penalties.
Deputies Still Digging For Tips
According to investigators, a store employee later picked Lee-Tucker out of a photo lineup and confirmed the identification after reviewing the surveillance footage. Detectives with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office’s Violent Crimes Division are still gathering video, forensics and witness statements.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the sheriff’s office or Crime Stoppers through the agency’s website at the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office.
The allegations against Lee-Tucker have not been tested in court. He is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty, and the investigation remains active.
