Douglas Marks Florida man fires gun several times at Veronica Pena New Mexico woman & her son inside Crystal Beach Suites at Miami Beach for ‘failing to social distance’.
Who can resist resorting to violence while trying to enforce protocol during a pandemic?
A Florida man has been arrested for shooting at a mother and son at a Miami Beach hotel lobby after becoming upset over their lack of social distancing amid the ongoing coronavirus.
Douglas Marks, 47, confronted Veronica Pena and her son in the lobby of the Crystal Beach Suites at 6985 Collins Avenue, Monday evening, when he fired off no less than four what the suspect described as ‘warning shots.’
The woman and her son, both visiting Miami Beach from New Mexico, said they were in the lobby of the hotel when they first saw Marks.
‘You aren’t social distancing.’ Marks is alleged to have told the mother & son sitting on a lobby couch Local10.com reported citing police.
Pena and her son ignored Marks and remained in place.
Marks then allegedly said ‘Let me take care of them, I have two people not following directions,’ as he retrieved a black firearm which he shot ‘several’ times in the lobby.
No one was injured in the shooting.
One witness recorded the scene after police showed up and placed Marks under arrest.
‘He tried to shoot the girl and the kid,’ an unnamed witness told the media outlet.
Marks has allegedly confessed to the shooting, but told detectives that he fired his weapon because he was being followed, and asked the front desk to call 911.
He ‘subsequently firing four warning shots,’ police said.
Marks faces several charges following the incident, including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and discharging a firearm in public.
As of Tuesday night, Marks remained in custody at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center pending $11K bond.
