REPORT: DRUG DISPUTE LED TO SHOOTING AT GARDENS MALL
Police say suspect fired gun at car of man who fled after hitting him.
PALM BEACH GARDENS — A dispute over alleged “drug rip-offs” led to the shooting Friday in the parking lot of The Gardens Mall, according to a Palm Beach Gardens police arrest report.
Dimitri Andrew Virginia, 23, of Riviera Beach, faces three felony charges and remained in the Palm Beach County Jail late Monday on $20,000 bail.
The incident began at the entrance to the mall’s food court on the north side of the mall, when the alleged victim punched Virginia in the face in an “unprovoked attack,” according to the report.
Virginia, who was accompanied by his mother, then chased the victim into the mall’s parking lot, retrieved a gun from his vehicle and fired 14 shots into the victim’s Audi A4 as it pulled away in the lot, according to the report. Eight bullets struck the vehicle, but no one was injured.
The victim lost control of the Audi and crashed into a pole on Gardens Parkway, near the Mira Flores and La Posada communities.
There port states that Virginia then called Palm Beach Gardens police and reported he was involved in a shooting. He remained in the Macy’s parking lot on the south side of the mall until police arrived. A handgun was found on the passenger-side floor board, the report said.
Virginia told police he didn’t know the victim’ s name but that “the two of them had differences in the past over drug ripoffs involving unnamed acquaintances of them both,” according to the report.
Virginia told police he fired his gun in self-defense and to protect his mother after the victim had pointed a gun at them as he pulled out of the parking lot. No firearm was found in the victim’s car, police said.
The entire incident was captured on the mall’s video surveillance system. It shows Vir-
ginia getting punched in the head just outside the mall’s entrance, the report said. Virginia is then seen running to the passenger side of a Chevrolet Impala and emerging with a gun. As the victim backs out of a parking space, Virginia is seen firing his gun, blasting out a rear window, police said.
The report notes the video shows “numerous other individuals” walking to and from their cars and other vehicles driving by during the shooting.
Palm Beach Gardens police had not released that video as of late Monday. The report said investigators have told Virginia the footage does not support his claim of self-defense.
During an interview with police, the victim said he and Virginia knew each other from Palm Beach Lakes High School. He also said that Virginia’s mother yelled, “Shoot him,” as he ran toward his car. The man said he and Virginia have feuded over “derogatory comments” and admitted the incident began when he punched Virginia.
While speaking to police, Virginia said he had been targeted in three shootings and held the victim responsible.
After getting punched, Virginia said the victim stated he was going to “get his strap,” street slang for firearm. Virginia said that caused him to retrieve his own weapon in order to defend himself and his mother.
Virginia faces charges of aggravated assault with a weapon, shooting into an unoccupied vehicle and discharging a firearm in public.
Court records show that Virginia will be on home arrest and monitored by a GPS device if he posts bond. He was ordered to have no contact either with the mall or the victim.
Virginia told police that he wanted to file a battery charge against the victim for punching him. As of late Monday, jail records did not reflect any recent arrests for the victim.
Gardens Mall officials did not respond to calls seeking comment and a public relations firm representing the mall referred all questions to police. A city police spokesman could not be reached for comment.