Torie Cross, the only surviving witness to a Jan. 29, 2024, double shooting outside a Fort Lauderdale bar, returned to the stand Wednesday and walked jurors through the night he says nearly cost him his life. His friend, 30-year-old Marcel Noel, was killed in the gunfire. Cross calmly but graphically described bullets ripping through his arm and chest before a second shot hit him in the face, as the trial of accused shooter Jorge Varona Suarez continued. Varona Suarez is charged with murder and attempted murder.
Survivor's account: 'I played dead'
Cross told jurors that Varona Suarez first shot him in the arm, and that the bullet then "traveled through" his chest and stopped next to his heart, leaving him, in his words, a hair from death. He testified that the gunman then stood over him and fired again, this time at his face, knocking out a tooth and sending him into shock. Cross said he survived by staying still and "playing dead." According to NBC 6 South Florida, Cross told the court, "One centimeter to the left, I would've been dead, one centimeter to the right, I would've been paralyzed."
Defense presses on whether Cross provoked the shooter
On cross-examination, defense attorney Emma Wilkes suggested that Cross had mouthed words toward Varona during a court break, sparking a tense back-and-forth. Cross denied threatening the defendant and insisted the only thing he said was, "I'll see you next lifetime," which he maintained was not a death threat. The defense contends Varona fired to protect others after an argument inside the club, while prosecutors say there was no imminent danger that night. Varona is expected to testify in his own defense and, if convicted on the murder charge, could face life in prison, according to NBC 6 South Florida.
The scene and earlier arrest
The shootings unfolded outside the Band House along Northwest 62nd Street, a small club that neighbors and reporters say has drawn a steady stream of police calls over the years. Surveillance video from a nearby pawn shop captured parts of the incident, and Varona Suarez was arrested a few days later. Early coverage listed the location as 801 NE 62nd Street and highlighted neighbors' complaints about crime and code issues tied to the property. As noted in a prior suspect arrested after double shooting report, the venue has a checkered history that has frustrated residents for years.
Why testimony matters
Cross's account is central to prosecutors, who are trying to convince jurors that the shooting was not an act of self-defense. The panel will have to weigh his memory of that night against surveillance footage and the narrative laid out by the defense. Two years after the attack, the courtroom’s focus has shifted from the chaos outside the club to a more clinical breakdown of credibility, intent and motive. The case is shaping up to hinge on whose version of events the jury believes.
What comes next
With the survivor's testimony wrapping up Wednesday, the trial now moves toward the defense case, with Varona still expected to take the stand. The outcome will likely turn on how jurors reconcile the competing stories of what happened that night, and a conviction on the murder charge would carry the possibility of life behind bars. Court officials have not yet provided a date for closing arguments.
