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By Evelyn Romo |

Man charged with pulling gun during mask dispute at Palm Beach Walmart

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Palm Beach County Sheriff’s officials announced on Thursday that the Florida man who pointed a gun at another Walmart shopper who told him to wear a mask is now  facing felony charges.

28-year-old Vincent Scavetta was charged with aggravated assault with a firearm and improper exhibition of a firearm after surrendering Wednesday to Palm Beach County sheriff’s deputies. At a Thursday hearing, bail was set at $15,000.

According to an arrest report, Scavetta admitted to sheriff’s investigators he was the shopper in surveillance video who pulled a gun during a July 12 argument with Chris Estrada, who had told him to wear a mask because of the coronavirus pandemic. Palm Beach County requires masks be worn in stores.

Scavetta told investigators he had been wearing a mask but took it off because it got wet in the rain.

The argument began when Estrada’s young daughter almost walked into Scavetta and his father. The men agreed in their statements that Estrada told Scavetta he should wear a mask and Scavetta cursed at him. Estrada told Scavetta not to curse in front of his daughter.

In the video, the two men can be seen yelling at each other, when Scavetta raised his middle finger at Estrada, who advanced at Scavetta pointing his umbrella.

Once Scavetta started to walk away, Estrada said something more to Scavetta, and that’s when he pulled his .40-caliber handgun.

Scavetta said Estrada had threatened him and his father and hit him in the forehead with his umbrella’s tip. Scavetta, who has a concealed weapons permit, told investigators he pulled out his gun because he feared for his life. He said he holstered his gun and he had his father left the store.

He told detectives he felt bad that he had scared Estrada’s daughter by pulling the gun on her father.

Estrada told detectives he did not want to pursue charges, but he wanted Scavetta to lose his concealed weapons permit. Detectives told Scavetta’s attorney that no charges would likely be filed if Scavetta gave up his permit, but Scavetta declined. Prosecutors then decided to pursue charges.