Man slain outside club; rival arrested
WEST PALM BEACH — A dispute and a shooting outside a Pahokee nightclub early Sunday left one man dead and another facing a murder charge, the Palm Beach County Sheriff ’s Office said Monday.
Authorities have charged Taraus McKinley, 29, of Pahokee with first-degree murder following the shooting death of 34-year-old Anthony Martin, also of Pahokee, outside the O’Say club. McKinley made his first court appearance on the charge Monday at the Palm Beach County Jail.
Judge Ted Booras ordered that McKinley be held without bond and that he have no contact either with witnesses or the victim’s family. One woman broke down in tears as she and other people left the courtroom following the hearing. They declined to speak to reporters.
Martin was fatally shot at about 1:30 a.m. Sunday at Ivy Lane and South Lake Avenue, according to the sheriff ’s office.
A witness told investigators that McKinley and Martin had been involved in past disputes. According to the sheriff ’s office, Martin was facing an aggravated battery charge stemming from an October incident in which McKinley allegedly was the victim.
A witness Sunday told investigators that Martin was warned McKinley was waiting outside the club. When Martin walked outside, McKinley approached with what appeared to be an assault rifle and fired multiple shots, the witness told investigators. While waiting for an ambulance to arrive, two people decided to drive Martin to Lakeside Medical Center in Belle Glade, where he died.
The witness was shown a photo lineup and identified McKinley as the gunman, the sheriff ’s office said.
The shooting marked the first confirmed homicide of the year in Pahokee and the fourth for Palm Beach County.