A South Florida firefighter was arrested for murder on Thursday after he fired a gun into a car and hit a man during a block party on Super Bowl Sunday.
Lorne Brown, 39, is a lieutenant with the Margate-Coconut Creek Fire Rescue Department and has worked for the agency for 15 years. Reports say he was suspending with pay pending an investigation.
Broward Sheriff’s Office say Brown and his neighbors were having a block party in their Cooper City neighborhood when a car driven by Simeon Brown drove onto the street, followed by another car. Simeon Brown and Lorne Brown are not related. The neighbors and the men in the cars started arguing. As Simeon Brown and his friend drove away, one of the neighbors kicked the car, sheriff’s officials said.
A few moments after the cars drove away, Simeon Brown returned with his friend. A sheriff’s report said Lorne Brown and his neighbors drew weapons and told the pair to get out of their car. That’s when shots were fired into the car. Simeon Brown was shot in the arm.
He was taken to a hospital by Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue.
Simeon Brown told the Florida SunSentinel newspaper he had been driving his girlfriend home before turning on the wrong street where the block party was.
Simeon Brown obtained serious injuries. He had to have a surgery on his arm and will have another to remove a bullet fragment from his neck.
Lorne Brown faces charges of premeditated attempted first-degree murder, shooting into a vehicle and aggravated assault with a firearm.