Confrontation at restaurant led to fatal shooting
Shooter says he feared for his life when he killed fellow customer.
WEST PALM BEACH — A woman crashed into Eric Stewart’s car early Monday in the Coco Plum Plaza parking lot, and the 28-yearold man was angry, witnesses told Palm Beach County Sheriff ’s authorities.
He stormed after the woman as she drove away and banged on her car window. According to Omari Fenton, Stewart was holding “a large firearm.”
That’s why minutes later, when Stewart threatened to shoot up the Caribbean Choice Bakery in the shopping plaza on North Military Trail, Fenton took him seriously. He tried to calm Stewart, he said, but he was afraid for his life.
As a friend stepped between them, Fenton reached over and fired a single, fatal shot from about 2 feet away. Stewart was dead when deputies arrived.
The Jamaica native and citizen approached first responders shortly before 4 a.m. outside the restaurant with his hands up. He admitted he was the gunman.
Authorities arrested Fenton, 32, that afternoon on a first-degree murder charge, saying he had plenty of opportunities to remove himself from the volatile situation.
Judge Dina Keever Agrama ordered Fenton held without bond during a hearing Tuesday morning at the Palm Beach County Jail.
Fenton said he had been outside the restaurant south of Community Drive with two women when he heard someone crash into Stewart’s car. It is unclear from sheriff ’s records whether Stewart, who was born in Kingston, Jamaica, but was a United States citizen, and Fenton knew each other before that night.
A few minutes later, the women left. Fenton said he went to his car and grabbed his gun, though records don’t elaborate on why he did so.
By then, an angry Stewart stormed back into the restaurant, large gun in hand, and demanded to speak to the owner, according to Fenton. He threatened to shoot up the place, despite Fenton’s attempts to calm him.
Surveillance-camera footage showed Fenton walk toward the door, though he continued to engage Stewart as Stewart walked toward the back of the restaurant.
Stewart, whose most recent address was in Fort Lauderdale, eventually turned toward Fenton with his hands open, leading detectives to believe he was not armed.
As Stewart approached, Fenton reached for his gun, records state.
A friend of Fenton stepped between them. Stewart bumped into Fenton’s friend, and moments later, Fenton reached over the friend’s shoulder and fired that fatal shot. Video showed Stewart immediately slump to the ground.
Within seconds after he pulled the trigger, Fenton appeared calm, a detective who reviewed the surveillance footage noted. He walked out of the restaurant and then returned. He left his gun next to Stewart.
His death marks the 27th reported homicide in Palm Beach County this year, according to a Palm Beach Post online database.
Court records indicate Fenton does not have a criminal history in Palm Beach County, beyond a handful of traffic citations.
Multiple calls for comment to the Caribbean Choice Bakery have been unanswered.