Hail of bullets that killed fisherman a mystery
Area is isolated. It’s not hunting season. A boat ramp was nearby.
Bullets from out of nowhere killed a manas he fished in a wildlife area Wednesday afternoon — and the source of the gunfire remains amystery.
The shooting may have been accidental, according to Palm Beach County Sheriff’s investigators. But they would not say why they thought that.
The Sheriff’s Office also refused to say why they didn’t think anyone was targeting the victim, Lawrence Ramdass, or how many times hewas hit.
The bullets flew as Ramdass, 46, was on a boat with his uncle and a family friend in the Holey Land Wildlife Management Area about 2 mileswest of U.S. 27, near the Palm Beach- Broward County line, his cousin Sunita Moses said by phone Thursday.
“I’m very pro-gun but I’d never think to shoot a weapon at a water way,” Moses said. “I’m concerned. I don’t think anyone is going to step forward.”
Ramdass’ uncle and the family friend dove out of the boat when the shooting began. Shortly after, they found Ramdass shot in the boat, his cousin said.
Once the two other men got back in the boat uninjured, Ramdass steered it back to land as paramedics headed to the area. He survived 20 to 30 minutes but by the time
paramedics arrived, hewas dead, Moses said.
Firing a gun, whetherit’s for hunting or target shooting, is allowed only during hunting season within the wildlife and conservation areas nearHoley Land, said AmyMoore, spokeswoman for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
“If someone was out there target shooting, they were doing so illegally,” she said.
Regardless of the season, shooting is banned off the paved road, named L-5, that runs parallel to the Palm Beach and Broward County line, and goes by the Harold A. Campbell BoatRamp, near where the shooting happened, Moore said.
Shooting won’t be allowed in the wildlife management area and conservation areas until hunting season, which startsAug. 5. It’s for bow hunting large animals, but target shooting will be allowed, she said.
She said wildlife officers regularly catch people shooting illegally and that signs placed by the agency are shot down.
“Inside wildlife management areas, you can shoot during hunting season but other areas have workers. It is completely closed to target shooting. Closed every day of the year. People drive and sightsee on a regular basis.”
She urges people who target shoot to have a proper backstop to shoot into and know what’s behind what they’re shooting at.
She said her agency finding people shooting illegally is a common problem.
“They think its unincorporated area but we’re out there,” Moore said. “We’ve been trying to educate people but it’s been difficult, with Florida being a high tourist area.”
Moore said people caught shooting off the L-5 road will face the same charges theywould face for shooting off any road in a residential area, including discharging a firearm in public.
Moses said Ramdass was very close to their large family. He moved to the U.S. from Guyana, just before Hurricane Andrew in 1992, and spent many years selling items at the Swap Shop.
“I have so many cousins but this one hits close to home,” Moses said. “He always made the point to touch base with everyone, so I can’t believe he’s not here.”
Authorities ask anyone who was near the Holey Land Wildlife Management Area last night between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. and may have information is asked to call the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Violent Crimes Division at 561-688-3000 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-458-8477.